The End? I Don't Think So
by Black-Neko-Chan
Summary: It's been three years since the aliens left the earth. Ichigo hasn't really thought of them at all since then, so why does she keep having dreams about them now? Full summary inside. DISCONTINUED.
1. Just A Dream

Summary: It's been three years since the aliens left the earth. Ichigo hasn't really though of them at all since then, so why does she keep having dreams about them now? Is it a sign? Also, Kirema Animas keep popping up around Tokyo with no clue as to who sent them. What's going on? One thing's for sure, things just keep getting stranger and stranger. Guess everything's not going as smoothly as Ichigo would like to believe.

Hello peoples! I'm very excited! This is the first fanfic with chapters that I'm going to put up on FF! It makes me very happy to think that I'll finally have something else besides one-shots on here, heheh.

So here it is, my first chapter. It's not very long, and my next one won't be either, but the one after that will be! So yay! But I guess it all depends if you like long chapters or not, huh?

Well, I'm going to stop babbling in a minute, but first I'd like to bring everyone's attention to my title! It sucks. I really have a problem with coming up with good titles, so I was hoping maybe after a few chapters one of you wonderful readers would have a good idea of a new title I could give this. So if you read anf come up with something, tell me and maybe I'll like it and change it.

Babbling done now. But first, the magical **DISCLAIMER! **Dun dun dun! (I'm just a little hyper, in case you didn't notice)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew, and I'm not going to, so stop taunting me because you don't either!

* * *

Everything around Ichigo was on fire. What little plants there were growing from the barren lands were also on fire. Fire was everywhere, and the air was hot and humid. Slick sweat slid down her down her body. Her pink hair was in matted tangles because of it and her pink Mew outfit stuck uncomfortably to her body.

Ichigo gazed wearily around the barren land. There didn't seem to be anywhere for her to go that wasn't on fire. The ground underneath her red clad boots suddenly started to rumble and ripped in half. Ichigo ran. Behind her a flare shot into the sky. The cracks had yielded to boiling lava.

The cat girl stumbled over her own hurrying feet and cried out in pain as she fell to the ground. When pink eyes opened they met a fiery red sky. Wincing, Ichigo pushed herself to her feet and started running again, only to stop as pain shot up from her ankle. She must have landed on it wrong when she fell.

_Where am I?_ She thought as she gazed at the barren, fire-ruined landscape. This place seemed familiar somehow, but Ichigo couldn't think of how. She knew she'd never been in such a place. Shaking her head, she started running again, careful to not hurt her ankle more.

It seemed to Ichigo that she'd been running for hours trying to escape this place when she stopped. Her feet felt sore and her ankle was killing her. Both of her sides ached and it seemed like she couldn't get enough air into her lungs.

Sharp eyes scanned the area, weary of all the fires and any lava flares that periodically shot up from between the cracks in the ground. When they found no one, Ichigo continued her running.

She didn't have to run long before finding who she was looking for. For a moment Ichigo felt surprised that these two were the ones she'd been looking for, but one second later it seemed completely normal.

"Ichigo!" The two ran to meet her. A flare shot up in front of them and Ichigo froze. What if it got them? The flare died just as she opened her mouth to call to them, see if they were okay. Relief flooded through her, enough to allow a small smile to show as Pai and Tart reached her.

"You're okay. Good," Ichigo said.

"We're not dumb enough to get caught by a stupid flare, ya old hag," Tart teased. The insult slipped past Ichigo as she realized with a dreaded horror that Kish was not here.

"Where is he? Where's Kish?" Ichigo shrieked. Panic had seized her now and her head was busy filling itself up with all of the things that could have happened.

"He's right behind us...," Pai said, trailing off. He had looked behind him and seen the same thing that Ichigo had: no Kish. Ichigo took off running.

She wanted to stop. Her body told her to stop, that it was exhausted and her brain told her that it was most likely too late, but Ichigo's heart screamed for her to keep running and not stop. So Ichigo kept running.

Her body felt like it was ready to collapse and her lungs seared. The only thing that kept Ichigo running on trembling legs was her pounding heart, chanting "Just a few more feet" in her ear.

"Ahh!" Ichigo yelped again as she fell. Her muscles had locked up and cramped. Her protesting body had had enough.

"Come on Ichigo. Pull it together. Get up!" She commanded herself. Trembling, Ichigo got back on her feet and took a few shaky steps. That was all she needed. Some feet in front of her stood Kish.

"Kish!" All weariness and exhaustion gone and injured ankle forgotten Ichigo ran to Kish. He turned and looked at her.

"Ichigo?"

Out of nowhere, a flare shot up.

* * *

Ichigo woke up screaming. As she realized slowly that she was no longer in that horrible, empty, fiery area but instead in her bedroom she stopped screaming. It was a good thing that her parents were heavy sleepers or else they would have woken up and been in here wondering what was wrong. She turned on the light beside her and looked around to reassure herself that she was indeed in her room.

As Ichigo tried to calm her shaking body she thought about her dream. It was the third time she'd had this dream and all three times it had been the same. She would always be running through a fiery land, looking for someone. She would find Pai and Tart, and then go off to find Kish. And then she would die.

"Why... Why am I having these dreams? Why am I thinking about the aliens? It's been three years. Why am I thinking about them now?" Ichigo mumbled to herself. Maybe something was happening. Something bad with the aliens.

Try as she might, Ichigo couldn't think of anything that could relate to her dreams and something being wrong with the aliens. She hadn't seen or really even thought about the three of them since the battle for the fate of Tokyo three years ago. So she really didn't know if something bad had happened or was wrong.

Despite this, Ichigo couldn't shake the fear that something was wrong and somehow it had something to do with her. Ichigo climbed out of her bed and headed to the window.

The full moon was shining brightly on the earth that night, bathing everything in it's warm glow. Ichigo threw open her window and climbed onto the windowsill. Careful not to fall, Ichigo jumped onto the nearby branch of the tree next to the window. She inched her way onto the branch until she was at the trunk of the big tree. If she moved the branches just right, she could still see the moon through the leaves.

_Kish..._ As Ichigo looked at the celestial moon her thought drifted to the alien who had a long time ago told her that he loved her. Somehow, sitting in this tree always reminded her of him, which was why she didn't sit in it often, despite the excellent view of the moon. Tonight though she wanted to sit in it and think of him.

_I was looking for him,_ Ichigo realized. _Not Pai or Tart. I was happy to find them but Kish was the one I was searching for_.

"Tsuki, you're so bright and beautiful tonight. Can your light even reach them, wherever they may be? Do you send them your warm glow? Can you also send my concern? I think something may be wrong," Ichigo called out to the moon.

"Or maybe it really all is just a dream," Ichigo said to herself as an afterthought. "Maybe I haven't gotten enough sleep lately, or have been working too hard, or it's stress from school. Or perhaps it's this tree that's reminding me of him-of them. I ought to have it removed."

_It's all just a dream. Nothing's wrong with them at all. I'm sure they're all living happily on their planet, _Ichigo thought as she climbed back into her room. She closed the window and climbed back into her bed. She felt tired and sleepy all of a sudden and wanted to just go back to sleep.

You must save them. You must save him.

_Wha...? What does that mean?_ Ichigo thought. A few seconds after asking the question though she was fast asleep.

* * *

Yay first chapter! Kind of confusing, I think, and I know it should provide questions, but hopefully you all liked it. If there are any questions just ask and I'll answer if I can.

I've already got the next chapter all typed up and everything, so I'll probably be adding that soon. So in the meantime, please review! Tell me what you like, tell me what you hate! Just drop a review! Thanks!


	2. Theories About A Dream

Yo my readers! I decided to put up the second chapter of my story today, so yay! Third one might take a while longer because I still have to type it, but it shouldn't take too long. Afterall, today is the first day of spring break! Yes! Ah, you gotta love it!

**Disclaimer:** Me no own Tokyo Mew Mew

* * *

"Ichigo, are you okay?" Retasu questioned the next day at work. Even though it had been three years and the girl's Mew powers had left them, all of the former Mew Mews except for Zakuro had continued to work at Café Mew Mew. Zakuro had to leave to continue with her modeling but whenever she could she would stop by to say hello and see everyone. The five girls were still as close as they had been in the past, so it didn't surprise Ichigo to see that her friend was worried about her.

"I'm fine Retasu. Just a little tired. I didn't get much sleep last night," Ichigo remarked. She was lazily scrubbing a table that needed to be cleaned before work opened. She had felt tired all day. In class she'd almost fallen asleep several times and the rest of the day continued to drift in and out of a half-sleep filled with visions of fire. Visions that kept her mind focused on her dream, which she very much wanted to forget.

"Why not? It wasn't raining last night, so I can't think of anything that would have kept you up," Retasu said.

"This is going to sound crazy, but I've been having this dream-nightmare actually-that involves the aliens. I'm Mew Ichigo, and I'm running in this really creepy place covered in fire looking for someone. I find Pai and Tart soon, and I'm happy to see them, but then I get nervous because Kish isn't with them. So I run off trying to find him. I'm running and running and I want to stop but my heart keeps telling me not to stop and so I don't. I find Kish right when I'm about to collapse, and then out of nowhere this flare of fire shoots up and hits me. Then I wake up," Ichigo explained. Retasu didn't say that it was a stupid dream, and while Ichigo didn't think that she would, she was still grateful to the girl.

"I don't think it's stupid Ichigo, but I do think it's strange. This only happened recently right? So why would you all of a sudden start dreaming about the aliens? Maybe it means something," Retasu said.

"It sounds like an omen. An omen foretelling danger to come." Both Ichigo and Retasu turned around to see Zakuro standing in the doorway. After three years the model was even more beautiful then she'd been when she was younger. For a second Ichigo felt a little envious of the older teen's immense beauty, but that was quickly forgotten as she grew happy to see her friend.

"Zakuro! How are you? How have things been?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm fine. I got a break from work so I decided to come here," Zakuro explained.

"It's wonderful to see you Zakuro. But do you really think Ichigo's dream is an omen?" Retasu questioned.

"Why not? It sounds like one. It may even be telling the future," Zakuro shrugged.

"But we haven't seen or heard from the aliens in three years. If my dream is foretelling the future, then that means now, after all this time, they're just going to magically show up again?" Ichigo questioned skeptically. Just before Zakuro was going to answer, a sharp squeal was heard from across the room and Minto came running. She stopped in front of her idol and looked up adoringly at her.

"Zakuro-oneesama! You're back!" Minto exclaimed.

"Only for a bit," Zakuro replied. Keiichiro entered the room then as well, carrying a tray of pastries to put out on display. Purin followed carrying another plate. When he saw Zakuro he stopped, almost making Purin bump into him in the process.

"Zakuro-san," He greeted warmly. "What brings you here?"

"Well I hadn't seen all of you in a while and I suppose I just got a feeling that I wanted to," Zakuro said.

"Zakuro-oneechan!" Purin exclaimed. She quickly put the plate of pastries down and also headed toward said person, latching onto her leg in a hug when she reached her.

"It's good to see you Zakuro-oneechan! Purin missed you!" Purin smiled. A small smile made it's way to Zakuro's lips and Ichigo couldn't help but smile too.

Whenever Zakuro came back to the café it was like this. Everyone would be so happy with smiles on all of their faces. They just couldn't help it. It always felt like they were whole again, the five of them. Team Mew Mew reunited.

"Well obviously I've been gone for too long," Zakuro commented. Purin had stopped hugging her now and stood smiling up at the model like everyone else.

"You have been gone for a while Zakuro. The last time we saw you was a little over two months ago," Retasu said.

"Well at least she's back now. And just in time too. I just got done with a new cake I'd like all of you to test," Keiichiro smiled.

"Purin helped!" Purin piped up.

"Yes, Purin was a big help. Would you like to bring it in?" Keiichiro asked. Purin nodded and zoomed into the kitchen. Ichigo smiled. Hopefully she wouldn't drop it. Now that she was older she hardly ever did, but still... It would be a shame for one of Keiichiro's cakes to go to waste, especially if it was one for the five of them to eat.

The sound of her name brought Ichigo back from her thoughts. Keiichiro was calling her.

"What was this I heard about an omen?" He asked. Ichigo and Retasu began to explain to Keiichiro her dream and what Zakuro said about it. He was quiet the whole time they were explaining, and when they were done he sat down and began thinking.

Purin had come back into the room now with the cake and the five of them were sitting at a table eating cake with Keiichiro. It really was delicious and made Ichigo want to forget all about her troubling dream.

"I think... Zakuro may be correct. It could be an omen telling of upcoming danger or perhaps it could be foretelling the future. Although I'm not sure how exactly that would come about," Keiichiro said.

"Purin could see Tar-Tar again?" Purin questioned.

"I'm not sure. It doesn't seem likely that the aliens would return here for any reason, but maybe they would. I should ask Ryou what he makes of this," Keiichiro mused. As if on cue, Ryou suddenly rushed up the stair leading from the lab into the café. He blond locks looked messy and he appeared bewildered.

"Ah Ryou, great timing. I just had something interesting to tell you," Keiichiro informed.

"Sorry, but there's no time. And what I have to say is far more important," Ryou said hurriedly. He waved off Keiichiro's questions and faced the girls.

"There's a Kirema Anima in the park."

* * *

Yay, Zakuro returns! And just in time too! Isn't that a coincidence?

So yes, there was my second chapter. And I wanted to be mean and leave you with a cliffy (So soon in the story? Oh noes!), so now you get to wait in suspense! Mwuahaha! Again, this one was pretty short, but the third one will be longer! And so will the ones after that. So sorry 'bout the shortness but soon the chapters shall get length. Until my next chapter then, see you guys later! And I hope you like the chapter and read and review!


	3. Tokyo Mew Mew Reborn

Hello my readers! Here I am with chapter three! I wasn't going to put it up today, but I got two new reviews and so I decided to after all. Soooo, in thanks, this chpter is dedicated to **daisukezgirl13**! Thanks for the reviews! Hee, be happy 'cuz you made me update faster! Also, since I seem to be handing out thank yous, thanks **cruelfeline** for giving me my first review (heh, and thanks for all the reviews on meh other stuff), and thank you **swannprincess** for your review as well! You three are awesome because you're the only ones who have reviewed my story so far! So thanks!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew. If I did Masaya would die because he is evil. And Ichigo and Kish would get together.

* * *

"A what?" Ichigo wasn't sure who had broken the silence about the café after Ryou had announced the stunning fact, but whoever had said it voiced the thought that was going through all of the girl's heads.

"_There's a Kirema Anima in the park."_

A Kirema Anima... How could that be? There was no way that one of those could exist without the help of a Cyniclon. So did that mean that the aliens were really back on earth? Ichigo shuddered at the thought of the conversation they'd just been having.

"A Kirema Anima is in the park," Ryou said again.

"How could that be?!" Ichigo demanded, her silence broken. The girls around her looked at Ryou expectantly.

"I'm not sure. But it just appeared on the computers. Go check it yourself if you don't believe me," Ryou said. Keiichiro went hurriedly down the stairs and everything became quiet again.

A Kirema... How could it be? And why? Why would one appear now? Three years since the aliens had left. In three years there had been no Kiremas or aliens, so why now? Of all times, why now?

_Please... let it be a false alarm._

Keiichiro came back in then and all eyes turned n him. His face was grim. Ichigo knew right then that it was not a false alarm. There really was a Kirema Anima attacking, and that meant that the aliens were back.

"I'm afraid Ryou's right," He said.

"Wh-what do we do then?" Retasu asked nervously.

"I guess... Tokyo Mew Mew is going to reunite," Ryou said.

"What?! How can you just say that?! I don't want to be a Mew again and I think everyone feels the same! How do you know we'll even be able to transform?! Our powers left us," Minto demanded angrily.

"Minto, calm down," Zakuro said.

"No! I don't want to fight again! I like being normal and not some... not some kind of freak!" Minto yelled. Tears fell from the rich girl's angry blue eyes but she continued to glare angrily at Ryou as if he was the one whose fault this all was.

Ichigo understood how she felt. She was angry as well. She was happy with how her life was now, even if she did have to deal with some unsettling dreams every now and then. If it was the price she had to pay for normalcy, then she would happily pay it. The thought of being Mew Ichigo again ruined everything. Her life was on track and generally stress free; dreams aside. She didn't want the troubled life she'd had three years ago back.

"Mew Mew Purin! Metamorpho-sis!" Everyone turned suddenly to see Purin, clad in her Mew outfit, looking exactly how she had three years ago, except a little older.

"There's a Kirema in the park, right?" Purin asked. No one said a thing. Ichigo was shocked to see Mew Purin again. It brought back so many memories, most of them of happy times she'd had with the girls. But some of them reminded her of things she'd rather not think about.

"Mew Mew Retasu! Metamorpho-sis!" Now Retasu was in her Mew outfit, and she looked at them expectantly.

"No," Ichigo whispered. "I don't want to. I'm happy. See?"

"Now's not the time for you girls to be standing around! There is still a Kirema Anima out there, and it's probably hurting people. Retasu and Purin have already proven that you can still change into your Mew forms. You must have gained your powers back now that aliens are once again on the earth. You five are the ones who were chosen to protect the earth, and it looks like she needs protecting again, so go!" Ryou said suddenly.

"No!" Minto cried. "I'm not a Mew Mew anymore! I don't want to be!"

"Mew Mew Zakuro. Metamorpho-sis!" Now Mew Zakuro had joined the ranks of the other two Mews and stood there glaring coldly at the two of them. Ichigo felt herself shrink under that cold, unmoving stare.

"Ichigo, you are the leader of Tokyo Mew Mew. And Minto. I expected more of you," She said. Minto's eyes teared up even more as she heard such cold words come from her idol.

"You two are selfish to be thinking only about your lives at a time like this. The world needs us and the only thing you two can do is cry about how you wish your lives were normal. They're not, and it's foolish for you to wish that they were. Everyone has to sacrifice things in their lives, and when you chose three years ago to become Mews you gave up your normal lives. So why don't you stop pouting and act more like Purin and Retasu and get up here," Zakuro said.

Zakuro's words pierced Ichigo and made her feel just as foolish as Zakuro had said she was because she was right of course. She was right but Ichigo didn't want to hear it.

Purin had been the first to transform. Purin, who was eleven. She was sixteen now, five years older, and Purin had acted more mature and selfless than her. Than all of them.

_I... I am a Mew Mew. I am Mew Ichigo._

Ichigo walked toward her three Mew companions on shaky legs. She liked her life now. She had enough time for schoolwork and was actually getting good grades in her classes. She had time to hang out with her friends and have a social life. Life was great for her.

Becoming a Mew Mew again... becoming Mew Ichigo again... would shatter that life. Becoming Mew Ichigo would kill any free time she had and her social life. She would have no time for homework and her grades would slip. Her life would become stressful. And everything would change. If she accepted that once again it would be her duty to protect the earth... everything...

"Mew Mew Ichigo. Metamorpho-sis!" Ichigo felt the old familiar power surge through her veins as she began to transform. As much as Ichigo didn't want to be a Mew Mew again, she had to admit that it was nice feeling this power again. It made her feel as if she was once again someone important and strong.

Her transformation finished and Ichigo stood in her Mew outfit looking at Zakuro. The wolf Mew nodded and moved a bit so that she could stand next to them. Ichigo did, and then looked at Minto.

The rich girl had the most confused look on her face that Ichigo had ever seen. She appeared torn between going up there as a Mew and staying firmly where she was. Ichigo wanted to help, but there was no way that she could.

"Mew Mew Minto. Metamorpho-sis!" Minto transformed into her Mew counterpart and joined them. Zakuro looked at her for a moment longer, noting the way she still appeared to be confused and hesitant about what she'd just done. Finally Zakuro placed her hand on Minto's shoulder.

"I'm proud of you Minto. You made the right decision," Zakuro said. Minto gave a little half smile and the confusion faded.

"Are you all ready now?" Ryou asked. All five Mew Mews nodded.

"Then Tokyo Mew Mew, go!"

* * *

As they got closer to the park Ichigo began experiencing the familiar rush of adrenaline she always felt before a battle. She was eager to fight, and excitement raced through her veins, urging her to go faster.

She tried to tell herself not to get so excited over a Kirema that shouldn't even be here, but it had been such a long time that she couldn't help it. It was like rediscovering an old toy you'd had as a child. You tell yourself that it's immature to get so excited over a little child's toy, but you can't help it.

When they reached the park Ichigo instantly saw the Kirema Anima. It was a gigantic fiercely yellow dog that might have once been a golden Labrador. It's shaggy coat was now dangerous looking spikes. It snarled, showing off it's ugly canines as it did so. The ground shook with each step it took.

The Kirema Anima dog was easy to find, but what Ichigo couldn't find was any sight of the aliens. In order for a Kirema Anima to exist, and alien must have created it. But Ichigo couldn't find one.

"I don't see any of the aliens anywhere...," Retasu said.

"Maybe they just created it and left. They've done that before," Minto suggested.

"Let's worry about it later. Now we have to deal with the Kirema," Zakuro stated. The five of them nodded and dashed off to the monstrous dog.

"For the future of the Earth, we'll be of service! Nya!" Ichigo chanted. She smiled. She had actually missed saying that.

The dog Kirema barked at them and swung a powerful paw with sharp claws at them. Ichigo jumped away from it.

"Strawberry Bell!" She called. Her weapon materialized in her hands and she smiled again. She missed it's familiar curve and shape. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Ichigo was having fun. Maybe she was wrong. Becoming a Mew Mew again wasn't as bad as she thought it would be.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" The attack went straight over the animal's shoulder and it turned to face her, all sharp teeth and claws. Ichigo's smile quickly left her face. She might be having fun but she was in a battle and obviously the past three years had done nothing to help her aim.

The massive Kirema bounded toward her and Ichigo barely had enough time to dodge before a clawed paw sliced through the air. Another came at her and she jumped out of the way. When she came down her ankle gave way and Ichigo slammed down hard onto her butt.

"Itai...," She moaned, rubbing her butt.

"Ribbon Mint Echo!" A heart shaped arrow hit the Kirema in it's shoulder. It let out a horse yowl and bounded toward Minto.

"This is no time for you to worry about your butt Ichigo! Get up and help out!" Minto snapped.

"Okay okay!" Ichigo called out. She stopped rubbing her now sore butt and stood up. The Kirema Anima was being attacked on all sides by the other Mew, but their attacks didn't seem to be hurting it much. It seemed that every attack was softened by it's yellow spiky fur.

Attacking it like this wasn't doing much damage. They'd tire themselves out before the Kirema was destroyed. They needed a stronger attack. Or to shave the fur off the dog.

"Ribbon Pudding Ring Inferno!" Yellow pudding encased the gigantic dog. It's angry eyed moved around wildly as it looked for a way to break out.

"Ribbon Zakuro's Pure!" The pudding disappeared and the dog Kirema yowl in pain as it was slashed with the purple whip.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" The dog swung it's tail at the Mews, knocking all of them off their feet. Ichigo climbed to her feet and looked at the dog. It's face was scratched up now but other than that it was fine.

"This isn't working!" Retasu said.

"Give me your powers!" Ichigo shouted. The four other girls nodded and they hoisted their weapons to their faces. Color surrounded them and suddenly Ichigo could feel their strength and power along with her own.

Their strength... yes, this was what she needed. It was the same now as it had been back then. All of their powers strong and hopeful. Their unity... This was the power of Tokyo Mew Mew. A little nervous and apprehensive, but ready to fight what was to come.

This was how she needed to be. Yes she could be worried. Yes she could be scared. She was human after all. But first she was a Mew Mew. Always had been and always would be; nothing would change that. The earth needed her and it was her duty to protect it. Always.

"Ribbon Strawberry Surprise!" Ichigo bellowed. The colors surrounding them grew brighter and the dog Kirema Anima howled and disappeared. In it's place was a stunned dog that scampered off and a jellyfish looking infusor.

"Ichigo, do you still have Masha?" Zakuro asked.

"Oh, yeah." She took out her phone and Masha grew bigger and ate up the infusor. Ichigo sighed and de-transformed. The other girls did so too.

All in all, they did pretty well for their first battle in three years, Ichigo thought. None of them were really hurt and the park looked fine.

"Alien alert! Alien alert!" Masha blared suddenly. Ichigo spun around looking for any sight of the aliens. Her brown eyes spotted two fading ripples in the air above them.

"There!" Ichigo pointed. The other Mews spun around but they had already gone by then.

"They teleported," Ichigo said.

"Well if they don't want to fight them we'll just ignore them for now and go back to the café. I'm sure Ryou's just dying to hear what we have to report," Minto said.

"That's not very nice Minto...," Retasu said, trailing off. Ichigo looked up to the sky. Those were definitely the ripples that came whenever an alien was teleporting. But why did they leave? The aliens had always fought and left if things were going bad for them. So why teleport before even battling?

* * *

"Hmm... They're stronger than we'd thought."

"Yeah. They defeated that Kirema pretty fast. You woulda thought that after three years they'd stink."

"Actually, they do. According to this data they're slower than before, their reaction time is off, and their aim is worse. Especially the cat's. But their attacks have somehow gotten stronger.

"That going to make it harder?"

"It shouldn't too much. We'll just have to step up a little. And then those Mews will fail."

* * *

Yay, chapter three! It's long! So be happy! The next one shall be even longer. It'll be a lot cooler also, because you will see who was talking at the end and who summoned the Kirema Anima.

I'm not quite sure when I'll put the next chapter up. I have it written out already, so it just needs to be typed. But I want to write maybe another chapter or two before I put it up, so it depends on how fast I write these next chapters. I have an idea of how they'll be, so it shouldn't be too long of a wait. So just wait patiently and the next chapter'll be up eventually. Till then, bye bye my readers!


	4. AnotherDay,Another Dream,&Another Kirema

Hiya! Yup, the next exciting, thrilling chapter is up! Yay! This one is pretty long, and I think a lot happens in it, so I'm going to stop talking now and just go ahead and let you read it. Have fun!

* * *

The five girls never stood a chance. As soon as they entered the perimeter of the café Ryou had jumped them and dragged them into the basement and was shoving questions down their throats before they'd even realized what had happened.

"Alright alright! Calm down Ryou! We'll tell you everything, just wait," Ichigo sighed. She smirked as a vein throbbed above his eye and he held back the remark he was going to make. Ichigo pulled up a chair and made herself comfortable, taking a very long time. Ryou could take this no longer then and exploded, making everyone jump.

"Now! Tell me what's going on right this minute!" Ryou shouted.

"Hold on Ryou! Don't get your panties all up in a bunch. We just got back from our first battle in three years and would like to rest a bit you know," Ichigo replied. Ryou's face was growing red and the vein now seemed to be throbbing. His hands kept twitching and Ichigo almost laughed at how angry she was making him.

"You know, I could use a rest. Ryou, could you perhaps bring me some tea?" Minto questioned. Now the angry blond's hands were twisting around in a choking fashion and Ichigo had to use all of her self-restraint to keep herself from rolling on the floor bursting out in laughter.

"Okay that's enough. We should tell him what happened," Zakuro said. Ichigo pouted and Minto agreed with Zakuro. Ryou seemed relieved that they would finally tell him what had happened and was calming himself.

"Aww, Ryou -oniichan's face turned normal color," Purin pouted.

"Shh Purin! That's not nice!" Retasu whispered. She covered Purin's mouth and mouthed a quiet "sorry" to Ryou.

"It's fine just... just tell me what's going on," Ryou said wearily. The five launched into an explanation of the events that had just happened and Ryou eagerly listened. At times he instructed Keiichiro to type down something important or just scribbled down notes on a pad of paper he had pulled out from somewhere.

"So did you actually see the aliens?" Ryou questioned after they had finished.

"No. But I saw two ripples in the air, so they must have been watching and teleported away," Ichigo explained.

"Keiichiro, go check the computers again for any sign of alien activity," Ryou instructed. Keiichiro nodded and began typing away.

"Is something wrong?" Retasu questioned.

"I guess. These computers haven't been used much since we thought the Mew Project was over, but I didn't think they'd break. But I suppose they have," Ryou mused.

"I noticed last night that something was wrong. I was on the computers when an alien alert popped up on the screen. I didn't believe it, but it's better to be safe than sorry, and so I checked to make sure that everything was safe. I kept finding traces of data suggesting that the aliens were back on Earth when I checked. I thought that the computers must be malfunctioning, because there were only traces of alien data, and nothing suggesting that an alien was indeed really on the earth. Just in case, I stayed up all night making sure. Then this morning it said that a Kirema Anima had shown up and I sent you five out.

"I assumed that the computer hadn't been malfunctioning after all, but when you five said the aliens showed up it never showed on the computers. According to them, no alien ever appeared. Whenever Pai, Kish, or Tart show it comes up on the screen, but nothing ever happened. All day there has been traces of alien data coming up, which leads me to believe that they are broken," Ryou concluded.

"There was never anything saying the aliens were present Ryou," Keiichiro chimed in then. "But at one point there was a more concentrated stream of data that may suggest an alien was indeed there."

"That must have been when you saw them. Could you tell which two it was?" Ryou asked.

"No. All I saw were the two ripples," Ichigo said. Ryou sighed and headed over to the computer.

It suddenly occurred to Ichigo how annoying it must be for Ryou to know that once again there were aliens on the earth but not know why. Ryou liked to know what was going on, and in a situation like this he didn't know anything. It must be maddening to him, Ichigo thought.

She felt bad then for teasing him. He said that he had been up all night watching the computer screens to see if there was really something to be worried about, protecting them in a sense. Ichigo hated when Ryou was mean to her, but that didn't mean that she wanted to be cruel to him when he was clearly tired. His golden hair was a mess and his body spoke of fatigue and weariness. Even his bright blue eyes looked gloomy and clouded over.

"Don't trouble yourself too much Ryou. I'm sure we'll find out soon enough what's happening. It's okay if it takes a while, because the computers still at least report Kirema Animas and Masha can tell the girls if there is an alien nearby. And I'm sure they can handle anything that's thrown at them," Keiichiro said. Ryou sighed again.

"You're right," He admitted wearily. "Well you girls better go home then and rest. I'll keep the café closed today. You need to be ready if there are any other Kirema. Keep your phones on and stay close to your house. That means you Ichigo. I don't need to be napping when I'm trying to call you."

"You're the one who made me a cat Ryou. I can't help it if I like taking catnaps," Ichigo replied offhandedly. Ryou didn't reply but went back to the computer screen. Ichigo frowned.

As she was leaving she told Keiichiro to make sure Ryou got some sleep. As much as he annoyed her, Ichigo didn't want him to overwork himself or get sick. Keiichiro promised that he would and Ichigo left feeling slightly relieved.

* * *

"Ichigo." Pink eyes scanned around for whoever had called her name and found bright gold ones. Kish was standing in front of her, looking exactly as she remembered him.

Something in Ichigo's head told her that this was wrong. She hadn't seen Kish in three years, so he would definitely not look the same as he did now. He would have gone through a growth spurt, or gotten stronger, or something. He wouldn't just look the same.

Another thing was that he was scowling. Kish never scowled. He was always smirking or grinning. Never scowling, especially not at her.

"Kish?!" Ichigo questioned tentatively. Kish took a step toward her and Ichigo took a step back. This Kish was scaring her. He hadn't spoken yet and his golden eyes were a sort of gleaming amber instead.

"You need to leave," Kish said. His voice was cold and precise and made Ichigo take another step backwards. She looked questioningly at him. Why was he acting like this?

"K-Kish... I-don't understand... Why...? Where even are we?" Ichigo asked. The place she was in was all black, and aside from Kish she was the only person in this empty place.

"You need to leave Ichigo. Leave!" Kish demanded. He advanced toward her and Ichigo took another step backward. Suddenly flames sprang up at her back and Ichigo was in the barren, flame-ridden world of her dreams. She shrieked and jumped away from the flames.

"What's going on?!" She shrieked.

"Leave! We don't need you here Ichigo! We can handle everything ourselves. So go back to your earth," Kish scowled. His sharp fangs gleamed in the light of the dancing flames, making him look all the more menacing. Ichigo took another step back. She was close enough to fell the flames at her back but she didn't want to get any closer to Kish.

"I-I don't understand Kish! Please, tell me!" She pleaded. The alien didn't answer and Ichigo turned around to run. She tripped and fell to the ground. She didn't know if Kish was following her so she tried crawling away. A hand grabbed her arm and yanked her around.

Ichigo let out a short scream and tried to escape but Kish's grip was too tight. He yanked her so that she was forced to look at him. His claws dug into her arm and Ichigo cried out.

"Stop it! You're hurting me!" Ichgio cried. Kish ignored her and yanked her again so she was looking at him. She was surprised to find that his eyes were no longer that harsh amber color but had reverted back to a soft golden.

Ichigo was mesmerized be his golden orbs and slowly stopped struggling. There were so many intense emotions that swam in his gaze and Ichigo thought she was seeing the real true Kish. Fear was reflected in his gaze as well as love and concern. Hurt also shone brightly and confusion. Worry and anxiety, apprehension, anger, and so many others that Ichigo felt she was drowning in those eyes and all of the emotions.

"Please Ichigo. Please leave. Don't come back. Please..." Kish begged, sounding completely different now.

Fire shot up around them and Ichigo's vision was obscured by flames. Flames that licked her body and burned her flesh. She screamed.

* * *

Again Ichigo woke up screaming and in a cold sweat. She wasted no time in turning on her light and reassuring herself that she was in her room but ran to the window and threw it open.

A cold gust of wind greeted her and scattered her homework from her desk everywhere. Ichigo ignored it and hung out as far as she could out the window.

"Where are you?!" She screamed. Red hair whipped across her face and involuntary shivers wracked her body but she stayed where she was. Tears streamed down her face and fell to her carpeted floor.

"Where are you? Kisshu...," Ichigo sobbed. She collapsed then, and broke down on her window pane. The wind stopped blowing, as if feeling sorry for the poor crying girl. Nothing else happened though. No savior appeared to explain and make everything better. Ichigo was left alone.

You to need to save them.

"Save who?" Ichigo croaked.

Them. Him. They need your help.

"Ha. Everyone needs help right? I'm not helping anyone," Ichigo said miserably.

Without you they are doomed. They'll die.

"Well then I guess that sucks," Ichigo laughed. Nothing else was said then and Ichigo drifted into a troubled restless sleep right there at her windowpane.

* * *

She awoke feeling very uncomfortable and stiff. Awkwardly, Ichigo got up and closed her window, then headed over to her bed. She lied down and buried herself under the heavy covers. It was freezing in her room now. But Ichigo just felt like she wanted to be alone. Completely and utterly alone.

Her face was still stiff in the places where she had cried. Ichigo wasn't sure how long ago it had been since she cried, but it must not have been too long. She had often tried to keep herself from shedding tears now that she was older, but now she could care less. Let everyone see her tear-streaked face.

The sound of her opening door caught Ichigo's attention but she didn't raise her head from underneath her covers.

"Ichigo? Breakfast is ready if you want to come down," Her mother called softly. Ichigo didn't respond and she left.

Slowly-her body felt like it was heavily-laden with worries and confusion over her dreams-Ichigo crawled out of her bed. She grabbed random clothes, not really caring if they matched or not, changed, and then descended the stairs and went into the dining room. She sat in her chair and soon a plate of breakfast was placed in front of her.

"Mr. Smiley-Face," Ichigo said absently. Her breakfast was composed of two pancakes, two sunny-side up style eggs for eyes, a piece of bacon for the mouth, and two slices of bread as ears. Mr. Smiley-Face, as Ichigo used to call it when she was younger.

His smiling face seemed to mock her_-Hey Ichigo, why aren't you happy like me?-_and Ichigo wished that her mother could remember that she was sixteen now and did not need Mr. Smiley-Face for breakfast anymore. She grabbed the piece of bacon and chewed on it, at least getting rid of that dreadful smile if not the whole thing.

"Yup! You used to love it when I made that for breakfast. You'd get so happy," Sakura smiled. At that point Shintaro entered the room and was given a Mr. Smiley-Face as well, and then Sakura sat down with her own Mr. Smiley-Face.

The dining room was quiet, filled with an uncomfortable silence only broken by the sounds of food being eaten. Ichigo continued to chew on her slice of bacon, doing nothing to interrupt the silence. Finally Shintaro gave a little cough and Sakura looked up.

"So how did you sleep last night Ichigo?" Sakura asked curiously.

"Fine," Ichigo replied, not quite understanding what her mother was getting at yet.

"Your father and I heard you last night Ichigo. Was something wrong?" She asked. Ichigo froze and her bacon dropped to the floor. No one made a move to pick it up, but continued to look at her expectantly.

Ichigo's mind frantically traveled back to last night, wondering what exactly it had been that she'd said and hoping that she hadn't just messed up and let anything slip that could reveal the secret she'd successfully kept hidden since she was thirteen.

"Where are you?" That's been the only thing she'd said. Nothing else. She was safe.

"Oh. I had a really bad dream. I thought someone might have been in my room and so I screamed that. A second later I realized it was just a dream. Did I wake you guys up? Sorry," Ichigo said. Her mom nodded and relief rushed into Ichigo. Everything was fine, they hadn't found out.

"It's okay. But... who's 'Kisshu?'" Sakura questioned and Ichigo's relief quickly deserted her. She'd said Kisshu?!

As Ichigo struggled to some up with an explanation to that question a vibrating in her pocket alerted her that her phone was ringing. Mentally thanking whoever it was calling her, Ichigo took out her phone and opened it up.

"Moshi moshi," She greeted.

"Ichigo, there's a Kirema Anima attack not too far from you. The other girls are on their way. Get there as fast as you can," Ryou instructed. He sounded a little bit more rested than yesterday but Ichigo didn't have time to dwell on that as she told him that she would and hurriedly hung up her phone.

"I have to go. It's an emergency," Ichigo said quickly. She jumped out of her chair and was already putting on her shoes when her parents followed her into the living room.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Shintaro demanded.

"Sorry, not time! Gotta go!" Ichigo said. She dashed out of the door and started running down the street. Her dad would be mad that she just left like that, but at least not she wouldn't have to answer that question about Kisshu. Ironically, the Kirema Anima had saved her.

She still needed an excuse, two now actually. One in case her parents still wanted to know about that question, and now another as to why she just ran off. But at least now she had the whole battle to come up with them.

* * *

Ichigo was the first one to arrive at the location. She had transformed already and was ready to fight. But there was no Kirema around. There were signs that it had been there-signs of destruction-but there was no Kirema Anima that Ichigo could see.

"Masha," Ichigo called. The small pink robot grew to it's normal size and hovered in front of her.

"Can you tell me where the Kirema Anima is Masha? Or let me contact Ryou so I can ask him?" Ichigo asked.

"Alien alert! Alien alert!" Masha blared suddenly. Ichigo spun around, this time determined to see which alien had been causing all of this trouble.

She saw a figure floating in the air and for a moment thought it was Pai. But it wasn't Pai or Kish or Tart. The alien that floated in front of her was one that she had never seen before.

He was tall and wore the same clothes as Pai, except his midriff was visible. He had a hairstyle very similar to Pai's as well, but his right eye was obscured by dark blue hair. He also wore blue wrappings on his arms and carried a spiked whip in his hands. He glared at her with icy blue eyes and Ichigo had the impression that even though she didn't know this person he knew her and already didn't like her.

"Hello Mew Ichigo. Are you all alone? I thought that your companions would be here as well," the alien said. His voice was young and unwavering and held the unmistakable tone of hate in it.

"Oh don't worry. They're coming. And then we'll happily kick your butt," Ichigo said.

"I doubt it. While I do know that you Mew Mews have grown stronger over the last three years, I also know that you are not strong enough to beat me," The alien said.

"Well I guess we'll see won't we," Ichigo responded.

"Mew Ichigo! We're here!" The other four Mews all suddenly appeared and Ichigo smiled at them. Then she sent the new alien a look. He grunted and a harsh smile appeared on his face.

"Woah! Who is that?" Purin questioned. The other Mews turned and also saw the floating alien. The sight of him sent them into attack mode and Ichigo noticed Zakuro taking out her weapon.

"Ah, here you all are. Tokyo Mew Mew. I am Brie. And I am here to take back what is rightfully my people's! Kirema Animas go!" He shouted. The ground underneath their feet rumbled and five more Kiremas jumped out of the ground.

Their snouts quivered excitedly in the air as they sniffed about. They had beady red eyes but did not use them. Moles spent most of their time underground and so were virtually blind. Which was good for them because as Ichigo quickly inspected the Kiremas she didn't notice any other weaknesses.

The five moles attacked, one for each Mew Mew. Ichigo's started the battle by slashing at her with it's vicious claws. Ichigo barely dodged. The Kirema was not deterred by the missed attack and attacked again. Again Ichigo dodged, but only by mere inches. And right away another attack was aimed at her, this one landing.

Pain wracked Ichigo's body and blood freely escaped the wound but Ichigo ignored it. _It's time to get serious_, Ichigo thought. She jumped into the air.

Her ploy seemed to work. The mole Kirema couldn't locate her. Moles "see" through vibrations in the earth. And if Ichigo was no longer on the ground it couldn't feel her.

"Ribbon Strawberry Ch-!" Bright lights exploded in front of Ichigo's eyes and blood flew from her mouth as a pained gasp escaped her lips.

"Nice try Mew, but unfortunately for you these mole Kiremas can sense vibrations in the air as well as the ground," Brie said. Ichigo barely heard him the pain was so intense. The mole had knocked her out of the air and back onto he ground.

A blow landed on Ichigo and she felt more pain. Momentarily her vision blacked out and for a few seconds she thought she would pass out and that would be the end of her but she didn't.

_Get up Ichigo!_ She commanded herself. Staying on the ground like this wouldn't help her at all, just leave her as an open target for the Kirema. So, forcing herself, Ichigo pushed herself onto her legs.

She remembered her Strawberry Bell flying out of her hands and quickly scanned for it. Without her weapon she was helpless.

She spotted it and dashed as quickly as she could. She yanked it up in one hand and abruptly came to a stop in front of the Kirema. It had felt the vibrations in the earth, so of course it knew where she was. It began to run, first at a lumbering trot and then it became a quick dash.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" Ichigo yelled. The Kirema howled as the pink beam hit it. The beam made a pink light and the mole was gone. But there was no floating infusor to show that it had disappeared. Instead there was a giant gaping hole in the ground.

"Oh no." Ichigo jumped as fast as she could but wasn't fast enough. The Kirema mole burst from the grounds and slashed at her ankle. Blood fell freely from her wounded ankle. Concentrating all of her strength, Ichigo twisted in mid-air and thrust her weapon in front of her.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" Ichigo screamed. A blast so powerful that it actually pushed her backward emitted from the weapon and hit the mole dead center in it's chest. It roared in agony and disappeared. This time there was an infusor in it's place.

Masha flew off Ichigo's cell phone strap and gobbled it up as she collapsed bonelessly to the ground. Her Strawberry Bell disappeared and she breathed hard. Her whole body ached and she was still bleeding heavily. The last attack must have used a lot of strength, Ichigo thought. Black was eating away her vision and she found she could not keep herself from falling to the ground unconscious.

* * *

"Ichigo?"

"Hmm...?"

"Ichigo."

"Huh? Wha...?"

"Ichigo!"

"Ah!" Ichigo shrieked and backed away from the person standing over her.

"'Bout time you woke up koneko-chan." The person was Kish of course, but Ichigo didn't find that surprising at all. After all, the past few dreams she'd had had been about him hadn't they? What was surprising was how he looked.

Unlike the Kish of her other dreams, this one was older. And smiling, which the other two hadn't been doing either. He still had the slender body of a dancer, but it was more toned now with more muscle showing. His hair had grown a little longer and was a barely noticeable darker shade of green, but for the most part he was pretty much still the same old Kish.

What kept drawing Ichigo's attention were his eyes and that smile. His golden eyes that had once been so bright and lively now looked dull and clouded over. And fearful, nervous. The smile was the same. The Kish of her past had always worn a smirk on his face, and even though Ichigo hated it (the presence of Kish's smirk had almost always spoken of trouble for her) she found that she would have preferred it now compared to that smile. It looked like he was hiding something.

"Kish?" Ichigo questioned.

"Yo Ichigo," He responded. His smile widened and a shiver ran down Ichigo's spine. This was the most normal dream she'd had, but she could sense that it was wrong. That smile...

"Where are we?" Ichigo questioned. She seemed to be floating in a green room. Bits of what looked like stone ruins floated around them.

"In another dimension," Kish answered.

"How is that possible?" Ichigo asked.

"It doesn't matter. Not important. Look," Kish stated. The smile faded a bit and for a moment the green world blurred and flashed.

"Look, what's important is this: If you see Pai and Tart, don't listen to them okay?" Kish asked.

"Kish, what's wrong? What's going on?" Ichigo asked. Kish's smile faded completely now and the green room blurred again. But this time it didn't return to normal. Now the green started running together, blending with black and the whitish-tan color that had been the ruins, fading into one big pool of-

"Ichigo!" Ichigo yanked her head up to Kish. He looked almost frantic, and now pain shone in his eyes as well. His pale skin seemed even more pale than usual, and clammy too. Now the sense that Ichigo had screamed at her that something was wrong, Kish was wrong, this whole scenario was wrong.

"Listen Ichigo! Tell me that you won't listen to anything Pai and Tart tell you okay?" Kish demanded.

"What's going on? What's wrong with you Kish?" Ichigo asked. She could hear the panic beginning in her own voice and she bet that Kish could also, but he didn't act as if he could. He was still staring at her, desperate to hear her answer.

"It doesn't matter what's wrong with me! Just tell me that you won't Ichigo!" Kish yelled. Around her the green had completely disappeared to black now, but the black kept on flashing. In between flashes she could make out a blue sky and green trees, and heard someone calling her name.

"Ichigo! Tell me dammit!" Kish swore. His hands clutched her head tightly and forced her to look at him. His eyes were panic-stricken and worried, and that scared Ichigo most of all. She had never seen Kish look like this, never seen him appear so crazy. His hands were, for some reason unknown to Ichigo, very hot, and he had broken out in a sweat.

"Ichigo!" Kish yelled. He shook her.

"Fine!" Ichigo screamed., "Fine! I won't listen to whatever Pai and Tart say! Just get off of me!" She wrenched his hands off of her and backed away from him. The crazy look that had possessed Kish's features seemed to fade and he recoiled backwards looking at his hands.

"Ichigo. I'm sorry," He said. He looked at her and now Ichigo saw horror in those golden orbs. Horror at what he'd just done. Somehow this was even worse than the fear she'd just seen. Tentatively, she took a step toward him. Kish backed away from her, stumbled, and fell. Throwing caution to the wind, Ichigo ran to him.

Up close she could see just what a state he was in. He was shining with sweat and his pale flesh was burning. Horror was still apparent in his eyes but now it was masked behind pain. A grimace of pain had befallen his face and he seemed barely awake.

"Kish, Kish what's wrong?" Ichigo asked. Her fear had been replaced by nervousness as she gathered the alien in her arms.

"Ichigo... koneko...chan. It...it hurts...Make it stop...Please," He croaked. And then, it all shattered.

* * *

Well that was the chapter! And now it's time for... **DISCLAIMER!!**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew! The only thing that I do own is my character Brie!

Haha, bet you thought I forgot about that didn't you? Well I didn't! I just put it at the bottom so I wouldn't spoil anything. Plus I want to talk about Brie.

So yeah, he's my OC. I know that a lot of people don't like OC's (myself one of them), usually because they are either Mary Sue's (or Gary Stu's) or because they like to take control of the spotlight. Well I'm not going to let Brie do that!

Brie is going to be a minor main character. He'll be a main character, but he's not going to be too important. Like Keiichiro for example. He's a main character and he's in the show a lot but he's not really as important as the girls are. So I will make sure that Brie doesn't become an annoying OC, and if he does start to become annoying then I'd like you all to tell me. Because I really don't want him to be annoying!

So, having said all that, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next one might take a while, I'm really not sure. I guess we'll all find out. Well, until then my readers!


	5. It Just Keeps Getting Better

Yo. I'm not very hyper today. I blame work. I DESPISE my job. I want to quit it, maybe I will, probably I won't. On a side note, we became foster parents (to cats) and we get to foster our first three kittens today! They're very cute. I love cats. I want to be a crazy cat lady when I'm old. Yup. Well you wanted an update, and you got one, so read!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew. Has everyone gotten that yet? Becuase this disclaimer is quite annoying.

* * *

"Ichigo!"

Ichigo jumped up. Pain flared in her side and she let out a muffled cry. Right away her mind jumped to the alien who'd been in her arms only a few minutes ago and she looked around frantically for him. She didn't see him.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?" Minto questioned. Ichigo stopped. She was no longer in that green place with Kish, but lying where she had fallen after fighting the mole Kirema. Brie was no longer anywhere to be seen, and all of her friends were no longer in their Mew outfits. They all had scratches and bruises on them but none appeared to be as hurt as she felt.

"Is it all over?" Ichigo asked dumbly.

"Yes it's all over. If you hadn't fallen asleep you would have known that now wouldn't you have?" Minto snapped. "Come on, stop laying around. We have to report to Ryou."

Ichigo climbed to her feet and the world spun. Her body ached and she felt the beginnings of a splitting headache coming on. That thing she'd had with Kish... that had been a dream right? Just another one of her annoying dreams. But this one had felt so real. Even looked real. Kish had appeared older, less like the Kish of her memories and more like what she'd pictured the real Kish would look like right now. But...

"Were you having another dream?" Retasu had been walking near Ichigo as they traveled back to the café. Ichigo, who had been so involved in her thoughts, had jumped and half-expected to be back in the world of her dreams with Kish.

"Yeah I was," She answered quietly. "I was with Kish. He was telling me to not listen to anything that Pai and Tart said."

"Oh," Retasu responded. She said nothing more, and the rest of the walk was traveled in silence.

"Last night I had fixed Masha's circuits so that we could get live video feed from him again. It seems that after so long a period of not being used they've fallen apart. It took a long time, and I hadn't expected that there would be another attack so soon, so unfortunately I didn't have time to fix the sound. So now I have a question for you girls. I'd like to know-" Ryou motioned to Keiichiro, who hit a button on the computer and a giant picture of Brie filed the screen -"who is this?"

The five girls were all at the café. Ryou and Keiichiro had helped them bandage their wounds. Ichigo had been happy to find out that her wounds were actually not as bad as she had feared them to be. Although that was good, she was sure to feel sore in the morning.

"He said his name was Brie," Purin announced.

"Other than that we don't know anything else," Zakuro said.

"He said he was here to take back what was rightfully his peoples. He means the Earth," Ichigo said dully. There was silence in the room, and Ryou looked up at the picture of Brie, who was glaring menacingly.

"Why would he do that? We gave the aliens a piece of Mew Aqua when they left. It was a powerful piece, and by now their planet should be back to the way it normally was. So why would he come here?" Ryou mumbled. He traveled to the computer and the picture disappeared. Then the loud sound of clacking keys started up and the five girls stood around the room, waiting to see if they were needed anymore.

"You girls can go now. We got a lot of information from the video feed, even without the sound. I'm sure Ryou'll be busy with it for a while, so I don't think he'll need you for anything. If he does I'll tell him to call," Keiichiro smiled. Zakuro left and everyone else soon followed. Ichigo slowly walked into the main room of the café. She was busy wracking her brain for an excuse to tell her parents when she spotted her green-haired friend and an idea popped into her head.

"Hey Retasu! Wait up!" Ichigo called as she dashed to catch up.

* * *

Ichigo actually hesitated to go to her house. She knew that her parents would be angry and even though she knew her excuse was a good one and likely to work, she still felt apprehensive about entering the beast's lair, so to say. A look from Retasu got her moving again. She took a deep breathe-_you_ _have to do this Ichigo. Can't just never return home_-and opened the door.

Even before she reached the door knob it seemed that her parents had sensed her returning and had swooped down from their watchful perches. Ichigo immediately felt herself shrink under the gazes of both of her parents and the little courage she had worked up left her.

"Where have you been young lady?!" Her father bellowed. "If I find out you've been out with a boy I swear-!"

"Honey! Not outside where everyone can hear!" Sakura said. Shintaro quieted and the threat trailed off. Unfortunately, the anger was still just as evident as it had been.

"No! I wasn't! You remember my friend Retasu right?" Ichigo asked and pushed Retasu in front of her. The timid girl stood there petrified and Ichigo felt bad for having let her friend witness the wrath of her parents, but apparently so did her parents because she saw the anger fade and become replaced with embarrassment. They chuckled nervously and led the two girls inside.

"I'm terribly sorry Mr. and Mrs. Momomiya-san! Very very sorry!" Retasu exclaimed, bowing deeply. Before she could apologize again or try and explain why she was sorry (Retasu was a horrible liar, Ichigo knew), Ichigo started her excuse.

"The phone call I had gotten was from Retasu here. It seems that her whole family is terribly sick and so she called her aunt to come and help her with them. She said she would, but while Retasu was waiting for her to arrive her family's condition grew worse and she panicked. So she called me. I heard the worry in her voice over the phone and I decided that in order to get there as quickly as I could I couldn't spend time trying to tell you what had happened. When Retasu found out that I had gotten in trouble she said that once her aunt came she would go with me to my house to explain to you what happened. And so here we are," Ichigo explained.

Sakura and Shintaro looked sheepishly at the two girls who were sitting on the couch. Ichigo couldn't be sure but she though that they had fallen for her excuse. Ichigo knew her parents were gullible and naive but she couldn't just assume that they would accept the excuse. So she waited in silence.

"Well okay, I guess that all makes sense. Just don't do it again!" Shi1naro grumbled. Ichigo nodded and he left, mumbling to himself as he went. Sakura looked at Ichigo.

"I understand that you had to leave, but maybe next time you could tell us at least where you're going," Sakura said. Ichigo nodded. Sakura turned to leave but paused in the doorway and uttered a surprised "Oh!"

"Ichigo, who is Kisshu?" Retasu immediately looked up at Ichigo at the mention of that name.

"Just a friend. I haven't seen him in a while mom," Ichigo answered. She smiled faintly, but it hurt and she was reminded of her dreams.

_Kisshu... What's going on...?_

Sakura seemed confused by the answer but accepted it and left. Ichigo sighed and settled back into the couch. Now that she was off the hook she realized just how tired she was from the fight and wanted to go upstairs and sleep, dreams or no dreams.

"Ichigo, do you think your dreams have something to do with Brie?" Retasu asked.

"I honestly don't know. I guess maybe they could, but there's really no way for us to make sure. And right now I'm too tired to care," Ichigo said. "Well thanks for coming over Retasu. You really saved me."

"Oh, that's okay. But Ichigo, if you have another dream I think you need to talk to Ryou about them. It's pretty coincidental that you start having weird dreams and a new alien shows up, don't you think?" Retasu said.

"Yeah I do too. Thanks for your concern. I'll be sure to talk to Ryou next time," Ichigo said. Retasu looked at her once and then left. Ichigo sighed and slowly got up from the couch. Her body groaned in protest but she promised it that she would soon be climbing into her bed for a nap.

She watched Retasu go through the window and then climbed up the stairs to her bedroom where she fell asleep.

* * *

For Ichigo the next few days went by as if nothing had ever happened. She'd had no dreams, hadn't become a Mew Mew since the last fight, and there were no aliens or Kiremas. The only unsettling thing was that her Mew mark had reappeared on her inner thigh. But even that she was easily able to overlook and pretend as if she had never again become a Mew Mew.

Her parents had put the whole running away thing completely behind them after Retasu had stopped over. And Ichigo could sleep again. She had just aced a test in school today and was going to hang out with Miwa and Moe later after work. Even work was going well.

Ryou was convinced that the presence of a new alien meant that more would be showing up, and so he spent most of his day in front of the computer screen with Keiichiro in charge up top. Keiichiro spent most of his time in the kitchen, but when he did come out to watch what everyone was doing he didn't complain about their mistakes and sometimes let them all go home early.

Ichigo supposed Ryou knew that they were being allowed to leave early because he was the owner of the store, but he did nothing about it. Perhaps he thought they were using the extra time to train. Ichigo snorted at that. The past few days had been wonderful, with not even so much as a bad feeling to suggest that perhaps today would be the day of an attack. So the way she saw it, there was no reason at all to train. Especially not today when it was so-

Ichigo stopped and cried out. She jammed her heads up to her head but it didn't stop the white-hot pain that had abruptly flared up there. She walked a little bit and stumbled. The world spun and now suddenly everything was cold, very cold, and there were flames licking at her skin, darkening it into hideously charred burns. Ichigo cried out again. Then it was gone.

All around her people on the sidewalk were looking at her. Once man asked if she was okay. She didn't respond and the man came closer. Ichigo shouted for him to leave her alone and ran. The people who had gathered just watched her go.

She kept running well after she had gotten away from the people who had seen her. The ringing of her phone made her stop.

Ichigo reached for it but hesitated. _It's going to be an alien. I just know it._

"Moshi moshi," She greeted.

"It's Ryou. Hurry to Tokyo Tower. Brie is there attacking people with Kirema Animas. Keiichiro and I are already there trying to evacuate people and the other girls are on their way," Ryou said.

"Okay," Ichigo said.

"Ichigo! Get there as quickly as you're able to. I'm trying to take care of as many Kiremas as I can, but there are a lot. We need you." Ryou hung up. Ryou was fighting? Ryou rarely fought. He could only change into the little grey kitten Alto, and though that form was sometimes useful, Alto couldn't do any real damage to a Kirema Anima. Brie must be very powerful then, Ichigo thought. But had the other aliens really been strong enough to have Ryou become involved? Ichigo didn't think that they had.

"Heh, what am I doing? Does it really matter how strong they were? They're not here, but Brie is and Ryou needs me," Ichigo mumbled to herself.

"Mew Mew Ichigo! Metamorpho-sis!" Ichigo cried out. Her transformation took place and Ichigo jumped up to a building and started running. Tokyo Tower was off a ways from where she was and Ryou needed her.

* * *

"Where is everyone?" Purin questioned. The five Mews had all met somewhere on the way to Tokyo Tower. When they'd gotten closer there had been a group of people who'd been evacuated that told them to be careful, but now that they were actually at Tokyo Tower there was no one there. The place was empty.

A paper blew by but other than that there was hardly any movement at the deserted Tokyo Tower. There was damage done to the tower and some cars were overturned but Ichigo couldn't find any evidence pointing to where the Kirema Anima might be. And even more worrisome was that Ichigo couldn't find any sign of Ryou or Keiichiro.

"Alright listen up. Ryou and Keiichiro are here somewhere. But so is Brie and any number of Kiremas. I want everyone to split up and look for Ryou and Keiichiro. If you find something, anything at all, call. Be careful," Ichigo instructed. The other Mews nodded and headed off.

Ichigo walked slowly, scanning the area carefully for any signs of Ryou or Keiichiro. The whole area seemed to be empty and it creeped Ichigo out. She kept expecting something to jump out at her, but nothing ever did. She would have almost preferred that to this unnerving silence.

Ichigo had been to Tokyo Tower once before with Masaya. The whole place had been bustling with life and activity. It seemed so wrong to see it empty now.

Ichigo stopped as she was suddenly overcome with memories of Masaya. Her heart gave a funny little lurch and Ichigo realized that this was the first time she had thought about Masaya in a bit.

Pain distracted her from her memories. It raced through her head and she was cold again, so cold. Shivers wracked her body and Tokyo Tower was replaces with fiery flames. Ichigo screamed as the pain in her head grew. She spun around and everything was on fire now, but she was cold, freezing.

"Stop it!" Ichigo screamed.

_Ha ha ha. Poor little kitty cat. You don't like this do you?_

"No! Let me leave! Leave me alone!" Ichigo screamed.

_I can't. You and I, kitty cat, we are connected. It won't stop. Nothing you can do will stop it. You are mine. MINE!_

The flames grew and surrounded Ichigo. They were on her skin, everywhere, but she was still so cold, freezing. And the pain. White-hot pain that streaked through her head.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Ichigo screamed, clutching her head.

"Ichigo? Do you hear us Ichigo?"

Ichigo opened her eyes. She hadn't even been aware that she'd closed them, but evidently she had, and now she Tokyo Tower was back, empty and abandoned. Ichigo held her Mew pendant up to her mouth.

"Yes?"

"Retasu found something pretty close to the tower. We aren't close enough to be sure, but we think it's a child. Can you get here fast? He or she could be hurt."

"I'll get there as fast as I can." Ichigo replaced the pendant and started running. She was still shivering, but no longer because she was cold. Retasu had found a child. The place was supposed to be evacuated, so why would there still be a child there? And still no sign of Ryou or Keiichiro had been found. No one had found a Kirema Anima or Brie for that matter either. Something about this whole scenario was off.

She didn't like this at all. Didn't like being here and certainly didn't like whatever had just happened to her, but she really didn't want to think of that now. So instead Ichigo concentrated on running, and not the phantom voice that had said they were connected and somehow seemed familiar to her.

It didn't take Ichigo too long to reach Retasu and the others. She could see a small shape up ahead but didn't know if that was what they'd been talking about. She didn't see anything else, so she assumed it was.

"Good, you're here," Zakuro said.

"Well I guess we go now," Minto said. Ichigo nodded and the five girls slowly advanced toward the bulky shape ahead.

As they grew closer the shape became more defined and Ichigo could see that the it did look like a child. Thoughts scurried through her head and she still had the sense that something was very wrong, but she chased that away and continued moving.

As they got closer the shape moved. Ichigo saw right away that it was a young child with a look of pure terror on her face. Her eyes frantically looked around and locked onto Ichigo's.

"Help me! Please!" She screeched and Ichigo ran. The other Mews exchanged a puzzled look and then ran after their leader as she dashed to the young girl.

Ichigo still had the sense that something was wrong, that no one would really leave a child all by themselves when something was wrong, but she ran faster than she ever thought she could anyway. Even if something was wrong, she was going to reach that child. No matter what.

When Ichigo reached the child her sense of danger increased twofold. The girl's eyes were no longer frantic and she no longer terrorized. Instead, a small little smirk played on her lips as she stood up.

"Wow, you're really stupid huh?" She said. She ripped off the brown clock she'd been wearing right as the other Mews joined them. Ichigo heard their surprised gasps but hers did no join them. Half of her had already suspected it. After all, there'd been two ripples hadn't there?

"You Mews actually fell for that! I can't believe it! I told Brie-oniichan that there was no way you Mews could really be stupid enough to fall for something like this, but I guess he was right huh? Hey, let me ask you something. Don't humans usually run when there's danger? Or are they really stupid enough to stay there?" The little girl's unmistakable alien ears quivered excitedly. Her smirk grew wider, and her beautiful hazel blue eyes widened. Her long blue hair was held in plaits behind her ears and she wore an outfit similar to the one that Tart had worn three years ago, but her shirt was longer and the baggy shorts came down to her knees. They were dark blue in color.

Ichigo was stunned by just how beautiful this young alien girl was, and briefly wondered if all the other female aliens were this beautiful before registering the thing moving in her hand.

The object looked like a yo-yo and the young alien was swinging it as one would swing a yo-yo, but this one was covered in spikes and dangled from a silvery string.

"Ah, are you looking at this?" The alien swung the yo-yo into her hand. Miraculously she managed to catch it without hurting herself. "This is my pal Mari-chan! Ain't she cool? But actually, I have something else that's much cooler than Mari-chan. Kirema Animas!"

The ground underneath Ichigo began to rumble. She spun around looking for the Kiremas but couldn't find any. The young alien was laughing, and the ground kept rumbling, but Ichigo couldn't see anything.

"Look!" Purin shouted. The rocks on the ground were beginning to come together with dirt to form five big piles. The rock and dirt moved around and from the piles began to rise five Kirema Animas made from the dirt and huge rocks.

"Go! Grab them!" The young alien shouted. The Kiremas lunged forward, each one going for a separate Mew. Ichigo's grabbed her before she had time to dodge it. She struggled to get away from it's tight grip but it seemed that the more she struggled the tighter it's grip became.

"Ribbon Zakuro's Pure!" Ichigo could see Zakuro and Retasu fighting against their Kiremas but she couldn't see Purin and Minto.

"Strawberry Bell!" Ichigo shouted. Her weapon materialized in front of her but she couldn't free her arms enough to grab it. She tried to kick the Kirema but it just grunted and squeezed tighter. Ichigo cried out in pain.

"Now now now. We don't want to kill these Mew Mews. Just knock them out okay?" Brie-oniichan and Leader-san want to see them." That was the voice of the girl alien. The Kirema seemed to have understood it, because now Ichigo could feel the air in her lungs leaving her and the world turned fuzzy.

_Brie wants to see us huh? And Leader-san? Who is that?_

You are mine. MINE!

_...Deep Blue?_

* * *

Yes, I introduced yet another character. Don't worry, this last one is the only one. No more will be introduced! Well, I hope this chapter makes you all happy because I really don't know when the next one will be up. I have a big English paper I need to do and a U.S. History test I need to study for. All of that end-of-the-school-year crap is starting to rear it's ugly head. Bleh.

Oh, just in case anyone is a bit interested, this story is so far 30 pages long when it's typed, and written, it's 54 pages. the written version is up to chapter seven. Stat-wise, the story has 519 hits, with most of them on the first chapter, 15 reviews, 0c2s, 7 favs, and 11 alerts. Well, on chappy ten I'll give another update of the stats. By then hopefully there'll be even more!


	6. Crazy Author's Note

I am so sorry! I haven't been on the computer in forever, and so I have not been able to update in forever also. Or respond to any of your reviews for that matter. I'm making this author's note to explain why though.

My computer died (_sobness. Hi! I'm Neko-chan's friend, Lily-Finn178.)_. It's had tons of viruses on it for a while now and my dad took it to go and get fixed. I'm really not sure when I'll get it back. (_Look at my profile.)_ I know it's already been a while and it might take even longer. I'm very sorry! I'm also kind of sorry for having to put up this author's note, because I'm sure it fooled some of you (_foolish mind slaves_) into thinking that I had updated. (_I'm shamelessly advertising myself right now!)_ Sorry 'bout that... (_No, she's not. Kill her and look at my stories)_ But I'm sure you're all glad that I at least told you all that I won't be updating for a while, right? (_SHE LIES_!)

I'm using my friend's computer right now to type this (_That's _my _computer!)_. I'd love to use it and type up a chapter also but I really can't do that so sorry. (_My sister thinks I don't know how to spell tree.)_ When I finally get my computer fixed I promise I'll make up for the long wait. (_Subliminal messages!)_ I'll put up two chapters in a row! And they'll be both of good length! I promise! _(Give me reviews. I brain wash you, foos!)(And that's not a typo. I actually meant to say foos)_

Until then, sorry again for not being able to respond to any of your reviews or for being able to put up a chapter. (_You will love me.)_ I don't know how long this'll take, but please be patient! (_A lot.)_ Thank you all for your reviews so far and please don't forget about this story! (_GAHARAHAHAAAAHHHH_) Okay, well I'm done talking now. (_I'm awesome.)_

_(Good day, mindless losers. I snorted. I'm a loser, too! So love me instead.)_

(_I rock.)_

_(Slim jims.)_

...I'm also very sorry for my crazy friend. Although she is a SHAMELESS ADVERTISER! her stories are quite good so I suppose you could look at them if you'd like. Heehee, mine are better though! Well, that really is all I have to say now, so sorry again, for both my lack of computer and my explosively crazy friend, and thank you all! Here! You all get a cookie for being my super-special-awesome readers/reviwers! hands out cookie Thanks! I promise it won't be too long before I have another chapter!

_(SHE STOLE MY CHICKEN! CURSES! Well, sucks for her because I POISONED IT! WITH MY MIND!)_


	7. Finally An Explanation

Hi peoples. Yes, I'm finally back! Yay, joy! Meh, I'm very tired and not too happy. it seems like I've been typing up these two chapters for forever. They're both quite long, and a lot happens so I'll shut up now and just let you read.

**Disclaimer**: Black-Neko-Chan does not own Tokyo Mew Mew. She just owns her two characters Brie and Rice.

* * *

Ichigo woke up feeling disoriented and confused. Where exactly was she? As far as she could see, she was in a plain, small, empty white, room. How exactly had she gotten here?

" 'Bout time you woke up Mew! I must have been sitting here for an hour waiting for you!" Ichigo blinked and looked for the source of the voice. She found the little girl alien sitting cross-legged in front of her in mid-air with a smile on her face and two fingers held up in a peace sign. Ichigo wondered if she knew what that meant.

"Who are you exactly?" Ichigo questioned.

"I'm Rice! Brie-oniichan's little sister!" The alien smiled again and extended her arm. Now that she thought about it, the young alien did look a lot like Brie.

Ichigo hesitated to give the little alien a handshake. She was an alien after all, and if Brie told her anything then the aliens were not her friends. Why this one was being so nice was beyond her. She hadn't been at Tokyo Tower; then they'd been fighting, and it was most likely this alien that had brought her here. But why? Why was she wanted here, and why was the alien being so nice? But then again, did Ichigo have any choice but to obey? She didn't know where she was, and she didn't know where her friends were. Plus, this little girl was strong. Could she beat her if she decided not to obey?

"I'm Ichigo. Nice to meet you I guess," Ichigo said, shaking hands with the alien, Rice. It was easier to just listen right now. Maybe later once she found out more information she go fight Rice, but for now she would just go along with what she said.

"Oh I already know who you are. Leader-san has tons of data on you and the other Mew Mews," Rice said. She hopped down and grabbed Ichigo's hand.

"We'd better get going then. Brie-oniichan's waiting," Rice said. She led Ichigo forward and a door opened in one of the white walls.

She's really short, Ichigo thought as she was led through what she assumed must be an alien spaceship. The small alien in front of her barely came up to her waist.

Rice dragged Ichigo into another room, but this one was not empty. Her friends were all standing around in a circle and when they saw Ichigo they broke out into relieved smiles and ran over to her and hugged her.

"Ichigo!" You're awake now!" Purin exclaimed.

"We thought that they might have done something to you," Retasu said.

"You shouldn't have made us worry like that," Minto scolded. Ichigo chuckled. Same old Minto, even if she had been worried.

"You." They all turned to see Zakuro facing Rice with an angry expression on her normally calm face. Rice appeared to be just a little bit nervous, and fidgeted under her gaze.

"Yeah what?" She questioned, trying to sound braver that she felt. Zakuro advanced toward the little alien.

"Why are we here? Why did you bring us here?" Zakuro asked.

"I don't have to answer you," Rice said. She stuck out her tongue and brought her hands to her pointy ears and wiggled both them and her ears. Zakuro started for her and Rice made a funny half yelp before teleporting away. The model lunged for her again and almost grabbed her this time.

"Enough!" Brie had teleported into the room. Rice teleported to his side and the two stood there. Brie looked angrily at then, and it occurred to Ichigo for the first time that she did not have her Mew pendant with her. Without that she was weaponless and had nowhere near as much power. She searched around the room for anything that she could use for a weapon against Brie if he decided to attack them but found nothing.

"So you five are the Mew Mews. Protectors of the Earth huh? More like the destroyers," Brie said. He paced the room, looking at each of them as he passed.

"You protect the earth and also the people that ruin it with their senseless pollution and waste. You aren't helping the Earth, but bringing it closer and closer to a death it does not deserve. And if it were up to me, I'd kill each and every one of you Mew Mews right now! In fact, maybe I'll still do it anyways," Brie threatened. His spiked whip appeared in his hands and he began to unravel it. Ichigo backed away a few steps and again desperately searched the room to make sure there was nothing she had gone over accidently.

"Brie! I said that you are not to harm our guests." Brie paled as he heard the strong voice and his whip disappeared.

"B-But Leader-san! If we just killed them we could surely take over the Earth and finally give our people the home they deserve!" Brie cried.

"I believe that I am the one in charge of this mission and if I say no then the answer is and always will be now. Now be quiet." Brie opened his mouth again but thought better of it and just stepped aside. Rice teleported to him and the two stood there, heads bowed while footsteps filled the silence of the room.

Aside from the footsteps it was so quiet in the room that Ichigo fathomed all the inhabitants of the room could hear the frantic beating of her heart as the footsteps grew louder. Brie and Rice called this person "Leader-san." And the voice she'd heard had sounded like it had an air of authority and familiarity to it. Her heart was beating very rapidly now. Could this "Leader-san" be the person she feared it was somehow? Could deep Blue have somehow been revived?

The footsteps stopped and a figure entered the room. This time Ichigo's gasp did join the others.

"P-Pai-san?" Retasu questioned tentatively. Pai nodded and cast her a small smile before swiping his hand across his chest and bowing in a very gentlemanly fashion.

Silence pervaded the room. Ichigo's brain raced. Pai. Pai was actually here. And … he had bowed to them! What was going one? Why was Pai here?

"Oi Pai, don't take all the spotlight." Another familiar voice. Tart walked into the room. There was more stunned silence, and as Ichigo looked at the two aliens from her past she began to think that she was dreaming again. Had to be. Now the only person that was needed to make this dream complete was Kish. But he never entered the room and Ichigo realized that this was no dream, but reality.

Both aliens had grown taller over the three years since she had seen them. Pai hadn't as much, but he did look stronger and he had allowed his hair to grow a little longer. It hung in his eyes and came close to obscuring his vision altogether. Tart looked much older now. He was taller and no longer wore his hair up in ponytails. Instead in was in two bands that rested in front of his ears. He no longer wore shorts but baggy black pants and a red shirt.

"Tar-Tar na no da!" Purin squealed, interrupting the silence. She dashed forward and threw her arms around Tart in a bone-crushing hug. Tart struggled against the monkey girl's tight grip but it was to no avail. Ichigo smiled at the sight. Purin hadn't said the phrase "na no da" for a little over two years, but seeing Tart had made her forget all about that. And Tart himself sported a very faint blush on his cheeks that he was trying to hide.

"Oooh Tart is this your girlfriend?" Rice cooed.

"Shaddup Rice! She is not my girlfriend! And I told you not to call me Tar-Tar!" Tart shouted.

"But I like it Tar-Tar!" Purin pouted. She looked up hopefully at him with her lower lip protruding and what Ichigo was sure were big puppy dog eyes.

"Fine. You can call me that," Tart mumbled. His blush had deepened and Ichigo couldn't help but to giggle at the sight.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we need to get down to business Tart," Pai said.

"Yeah I know," Tart responded. His blush quickly faded and he gently unlatched Purin from himself, then straightened and stood solemnly next to Pai. Out of the corner of her eye Ichigo saw Rice stop giggling and straighten also.

"We've come back to Earth because we have a favor to ask of you Mew Mews. I realize that there is no reason at all for you to agree to this, and so I would like to say that we will bear no grudge if you do not," Pai said. He looked at the five of them carefully, as if evaluating something. "We need your help."

"You need our help?" Zakuro asked. "You come to the Earth and attack us with Kirema Animas, fight against us, kidnap us, and now you're asking for our help?"

"I understand that you are angry, but you must believe that it was not our intention to harm any of you or to take you here against your will," Pai said.

"Well you did!" Minto replied haughtily. "I have the bruises to prove it!"

"Brie and Rice reached this planet before Tart and I did. I specifically told the two of them not to harm any of you in any ways, but to politely explain to you why we needed you. Brie has always thought that you girls were the cause of all the trouble our people go through, despite our attempts to tell him otherwise. So when he got here he attacked you on his own whim and didn't think of the trouble he would cause. When Tart and I arrived and found that my orders had been disobeyed I figured that the only way to get you five up to the ship would be to take you here. There wasn't any other way to do it and I apologize for that," Pai explained.

Ichigo glanced over to the others. She couldn't read any of their expressions. She herself thought that Pai was telling the truth. It was true that the Mew Mews and the aliens hadn't ever really been friends, but during the last battle with Deep Blue they had been able to work together to defeat him. They'd all been on good terms when the aliens had left, and Ichigo couldn't think of a reason now for Pai to lie. She glanced at Brie. If Pai was right, then the Kirema attacks were all his fault. He did have a faint blush on his face, but other than that there was nothing to suggest that he was even the least bit guilty or embarrassed for what he'd done. His face was etched in stone.

"What do you want to ask us?" Ichigo questioned. She looked at Pai again.

"We need you Mews to come help us heal our planet. The Mew Aqua you gave us wore off about a year ago. In that time our planet has become even worse than it had previously been. The power of the Mew Aqua had a strange effect on it, and now instead of reverting back to its normal frozen state it has become covered in volcanoes and fire. Plus many of our people have become sick.

"There is a strange virus that none of us have been able to cure roaming our lands. We believe that it had been a strain of bacteria that had resided deep inside of these volcanoes and was exposed to the Mew Aqua when the volcanoes burst. When it came into contact with any residue Mew Aqua that existed in the air or deep in the earth it mutated and became a virus of sorts.

"The disease is fatal, and many of our people have already become infected and died. Others have dies because of malnutrition and dehydration. We've tried to come up with ways to heal the planet and stop the disease but we can't. So we need you," Pai finished.

"How are we supposed to help you? We could probably give you another Mew Aqua, but there's not much of a point to it if it's just going to run out in another two years. And even if we do, what if it ends up mutating this virus even more?" Ichigo asked.

"You Mews are going to use the Mew Aqua on the planet. You are able to channel the energy inside of it better than we can. If you use the Mew Aqua on our planet then it will surely work. Mew Aqua is supposed to heal things and to make them better, so if the planet got another full dose of it then it should get rid of the virus," Pai said.

"Are you positive? You aren't are you?" Zakuro questioned.

"No we aren't positive. But it's the only thing that we can do for now. Even if the effects do run out in another two years, it'll give us more time to come up with something better," Pai said.

"What if we get sick? How do you know that won't happen?" Minto asked. There was a lot of snobbishness in her voice that Ichigo didn't care for, but it was a good question. Pai didn't lose a beat. It was like he'd already planned this already.

"You won't. When we had been here before I took a lot of data on you Mew Mews, including DNA samples. I did some test back on our planet and it seems that because of the mutations in your genes you are immune to the airborne pathogens. You'll only get the disease if you exchange bodily fluids with an infected person," Pai explained, then fell silent. No more questions came.

"If we went with you to your planet, how long would we be gone?" Retasu asked.

"I don't know how long it would take. My guess would be around two weeks, if everything goes smoothly," Pai said. It was quiet again in the room. Even if it was only two weeks that was a long time to be gone away from home.

"I know that it's a hard decision and not one that will take only a little bit of thought to make. So I'll let you be alone for a while to make it. You can wander the ship if you'd like, but please don't touch anything. If you need something, just find one of the four of us and ask. In two hours we'll all come back to this room and hear what you've decided." With that said Pai turned around and left the room. Tart followed him and Brie teleported away. Rice looked at where he'd been for a minute and then teleported out of the room as well.

Ichigo looked at the other Mews but no one said anything. They all had a lot to think about. Zakuro left and Minto followed her.

"I'm going to find Tar-Tar," Purin announced. She left as well and Retasu looked at Ichigo.

"What do you think we should do Ichigo? I want to help, but do you think it would be okay to be gone that long?" She asked.

"I don't know. I really don't," She responded. Retasu stood there for a moment longer and left as well. Ichigo stood in the room. She was still having troubles getting over the fact that they had just seen Pai and Tart, and that they needed her help was overwhelming her poor brain. She was thankful that Pai had given them time to think before their decision because she really needed it.

"Oi!" Ichigo broke herself from her train of thought and saw Tart.

"What are you going to do? Are you going to help us or not?" He asked. Ichigo grew nervous suddenly and looked about her for a watch. There was no way that two hours could have passed already! She'd only been standing in the room for a few minutes hadn't she? She hadn't even thought of a decision yet! It couldn't have already been two hours!

"P-Pai said that we could have two hours! I haven't-"

"Did you know that I used to have a little sister?" Ichigo stopped suddenly and looked at Tart. The younger alien was no longer looking at her, but sideways at a window. Ichigo followed his gaze and saw the black emptiness of space. We must be floating above the Earth, She thought. That would explain why the computers couldn't pick up Pai or Tart. They were never actually on Earth were they? Only Brie and Rice. And the computers didn't have their data registered. The computers…

"She had turned two only a few months ago. She couldn't say my name so she used to just call me Ta." Ichigo looked back at tart and gasped. He was crying. Tart, the alien who had always acted so strong and not at all like the child he was. The sight made her forget what she'd been trying to remember.

Tart heard her gasp and now turned his sights on her. Tears were still running down his face but his eyes had yet to become red-rimmed and puffy.

"She got sick and dies three weeks ago. She was only two!" Tart exclaimed. Ichigo was silent. She didn't know that to say. Tart was silent too. She tried to approach him.

"Tart…," She said softly.

"Don't you see? More people will die if we don't get the Mew Aqua to work like it should. And we need you to do it. So please… you gotta help us," Tart said quietly. She stopped walking and looked at the smaller alien. She thought that his tears had ceased, but his amber eyes were still watery. A wave of pity overcame her and if she had known the alien better she would have hugged him.

Instead she stood there and Tart turned to leave the room. He paused once at the doorway and looked at her.

"Pai won't tell you, and he wouldn't want me to either, but Kish would be happy to see you," He said, and then left.

Ichigo stood there. Hearing Tart mention Kish made her realize just how much she missed the perverted alien. It was great seeing Pai and Tart again, but Ichigo really wanted to see Kish. Where was he anyway, if he wasn't here, and why would Pai not want her to know that Kish would be happy to see her?

Ichigo shook her head and headed out of the room. Tart couldn't have gotten too far unless he had teleported and she wanted to catch him and ask about Kish.

Instead she found Brie. He was leaning against a wall with his eyes closed.

"So Tart told you his story huh?" He asked.

"Yes he did," She responded. Brie opened his eyes and stared at her. She wanted to disappear under that cold gaze but stayed and openly glared back at him.

"How'd it make you feel? Like you want to help us?"

"I'd like to help. I don't like to know that people are suffering, human or not. And if I could help them then I would. But…," She trailed off.

" 'But…?' Ha, you humans are all the same. You'll only help someone if it benefits you. Tart has no family now that his sister is dead. It's like that with most of us. There are hundreds of orphans and broken families because of death. Rice is my only family. Our mother died five years ago. I still have Rice, but most aren't even that lucky. So will you help them Mew?" Brie asked. He pushed off the wall then and started walking away.

"Wait!" Ichigo called after him. He paused but didn't turn around.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry about your mother and I'm sorry for all of the other people on your planet who have had friends or relatives die. I want to help them all. I do. And if I can then I will," Ichigo vowed. Brie turned and looked at her. For the first time his blue eyes weren't harsh and cold. They were almost soft, and very pretty.

"If you actually mean that, actually want to help us, then I'd have to thank you," He said.

"Could I ask you something?" Brie nodded.

"Do you know where Kish is? What's he doing?" She asked.

"I do. But Leader-san has instructed for none of us to tell," Brie answered and walked away.

"Why? Why would Pai not want us to know?" Ichigo questioned herself. She looked at both ways of the empty hallway and then started walking down it. Her head was filled with thoughts and she had no idea what to do. She needed to make a choice on whether she would help the aliens or not. She'd just told Brie that she would if she could, but could she?

What would she tell her parents? Pai had said that they would be gone for two weeks if everything went correctly. What could she say to her parents to explain her absence without giving everything away? And then what would she do about school? She couldn't afford to be absent for two weeks.

But could she really let all of those people die? They needed her, and as Ryou had said before, the Mew Mews were the protectors of the Earth. But it wasn't the Earth they would be protecting this time. They would be protecting and helping the Cyniclon people because they needed her. Could she really turn her back on all of those people for her own selfish reasons? Then she'd be the same person Brie thought her and all humans to be.

_You need to save them… They need your help._

Ichigo stopped. That voice… The voice she'd heard after her dreams hadn't it predicted this? Hadn't it said that the aliens would need her help and that she had to give it to them?

_"Leave! We don't need you here Ichigo! We can handle everything ourselves. So go back to your Earth."_

_"Listen Ichigo! Tell me that you won't listen to anything Pai and Tart tell you okay?"_

_"Fine! I won't listen to whatever Pai and Tart say!"_

The Kish of her dreams had told her to not listen to Pai and Tart. Eh had told her that they didn't need any help. Was this what he had been talking about? And if so, then why would he not want her to come help his people? Why would Kish want for them to suffer?

"This all makes no sense!" Ichigo cried in frustration. Should she help the aliens or not? What did Kish mean when he'd said not to listen to Pai or Tart? Why would he not want her help? And where actually was Kish? The real one, and not just the one in her dreams. Why had Pai instructed that they not be told?

All of these questions flew through Ichigo's head and she was able to provide the answers to none of them. Kish had told her to stay away and not to listen to Pai and Tart, but it seemed that they only way she could find out the answers to these questions would be to listen to them and go to the alien planet. And she wanted to help the people there. Regardless of what her parents would do when she got back home, she wanted to help those people.

What she'd told Brie had been the truth. She did want to help and would. She didn't know how she would explain her absence to her parents, but maybe Pai had thought of an excuse for them. He was supposed to be the smartest one, so it wasn't stupid to think that maybe he had planned excuses for them already in case they said yes.

Feeling slightly better about her decision, Ichigo spent the rest of her time exploring the alien ship. True to her word, she didn't touch anything. There were quite a few things which had tempted her, including a 3-D sphere that she assumed was a map, but she managed to keep her curiosity in check.

She didn't see anyone while she was exploring, but once she'd heard the voices of Pai and Retasu. For a moment she'd thought about joining them but then decided against it and continued by herself. She didn't have much more time until the two hours were up and Ichigo felt like this time would be the only time she had to relax for a while.

When the two hours were up Pai appeared before her. Ichigo realized that it was time for her to go back to the room and she grabbed his hand. He teleported them back to the room where she stood and waited for her companions to be brought. She didn't feel nervous as she'd thought she would, but strangely calm.

"The two hours are up. I hope that all of you have come up with an answer," Pai said once everyone was again assembled in the room. They all stood silently together, waiting to hear what the others would say. Pai went first to Ichigo.

"Yes. I will go and help you," She said strongly. She heard the surprised remarks come from her teammates and felt their eyes on her as they turned to look for an explanation, but she offered none and Pai went on to Retasu. Ichigo just hoped that she wouldn't be the only one doing this trip.

"I… I-I'll help too," She stuttered nervously. There was no noise this time but all eyes turned to the timid girl nevertheless. Retasu blushed deeply and Ichigo felt a surge of relief that she would have the help of at least one companion after all.

"Purin will go too! Purin will go too!" Purin cried ecstatically as she jumped up in the air, waving her arms around wildly so that she would be noticed. She was and Ichigo thought she saw the ghost of a smile cross Pai's lips before he turned to face Zakuro.

"I'll go," She answered crisply. Next Pai turned to look at Minto, who sighed.

"Hai. You might as well count me in also. It just wouldn't be the same without me." Ichigo broke into a smile and surprised the rich girl by running to hug her. Purin squealed and did the same.

"Yay! Everyone's going!" She cried triumphantly.

"Thank you." Ichigo pulled away from the hug. This time Pai was smiling. It was just a small one, but it was still there.

"Thank you, all of you. Thank you for deciding to come and help us. We are forever in your debt," Pai said. He gave them a small bow and now Ichigo began to blush. Pai had smiled, thanked them, and bowed to them?! This was just all too much!

"Oh it's okay! We're happy to!" She replied quickly. "But… what are we going to tell our parents? And Purin has her siblings to think about."

"Ichigo-oneechan is right. Heicha, Chincha, Lucha, Hancha, and Hanacha have never been by themselves before," Purin said worriedly.

"They'll be fine. I'm sure that blonde leader of yours will be able to think of something," Pai assured.

"Ooh no! That's it! I forgot all about Ryou and Keiichiro!" Ichigo shouted in horror.

"Relax. They're fine," Pai said.

"No! You don't understand! We were trying to find them and we couldn't, and then-"

"I know. Brie had sent Kiremas to attack them and they passed out. Then we moved them so that you five wouldn't find them and the plan would still work. After we had you I ordered Brie to put them back. Right now I'm sure they've awoken and are at the café trying to locate you," Pai explained.

"Oh." Now she felt more stupid than she did for not remembering that they were gone in the first place.

"All I need to do is to send a message to the computers at the café explaining what's happened and they need to come up with excuses for your parents as to your absence and then we can go," Pai finished.

"Okay then. We'll be ready to go whenever you are," Ichigo said. Ryou was smart. He'd be able to come up with a good excuse for all of them.

"Right. I'll send them the message and then we'll get started on the way to our planet."


	8. An Arrival and a Reunion

**Disclaimer**: Still own nothing except for my OCs.

* * *

The vastly black emptiness of space had a very calming effect. It made someone forget about their worries and just let themselves float slowly on through. It helped Ichigo to forget that she was rushing toward an alien planet to help a species she knew almost nothing about and that despite whatever excuse Ryou had managed to come up with, her parents would still almost certainly kill her whenever it was that she returned home. Yes, space was very calming.

She still had a ton of questions, but Pai had answered none of them. He had only told them that the message had been sent and that they'd arrive at the alien planet in two days. Then he'd left them to their own devices.

"Hello!" Ichigo nearly jumped out of her skin and looked to see none other than Rice standing beside her. She hadn't been there before, so she must have teleported or quietly walked.

"Hello Rice," Ichigo smiled after she had gotten her heart to stop its rapid beating. She would have scolded the young alien for scaring her so, but judging from the look on her face Ichigo didn't think it would have had much of an effect. Probably would have tempted her to scare her even more.

"Why are you looking out there? There's nothing interesting," Rice scoffed.

"I think it's exciting. I've never been in space before. And I certainly had never planned on it," Ichigo explained.

"Really? That's hard to believe. Me and Brie-oniichan are always in space. It's not too exciting. Just a bunch of rocks and empty space," Rice said disdainfully.

"Maybe. But it's calming to me. It helps me forget about everything stressful," Ichigo said.

"Like what?" Rice prompted.

"Well I'm worried about what my parents will say when I get back and how long I'll be gone. There's also a lot that I don't know and am still confused about," Ichigo explained.

"Oh. Well what do you want to know?" Rice asked.

"Ummm… how about where Kish is? Can you answer that?" Ichigo asked.

"Nope. Leader-san specifically instructed for none of us to talk about Kish-oniichan," Rice said.

"Okay. Well how about this then. How did all of this happen? How exactly did your planet become the way it is now? And how did Pai become 'Leader-san?' " Ichigo inquired.

"I'll just explain everything from the beginning. It'll be easier this way," Rice said. She floated up off the ground until she was level with Ichigo and crossed her legs. She gazed at Ichigo with hazel-blue eyes and then launched into her explanation.

"I was only four when Pai, Kish, and Tart-oniichan returned home with the Mew Aqua, so I don't remember too much from that time. Mostly all that I know came from what people have told me. I really didn't care too much then either, because mine and Brie-oniichan's mother had just died, and back then I was always really sad.

"Well, when Pai, Kish, and Tart-oniichan came back everyone was in an uproar. They'd all been expecting them to come back with our savior Deep Blue and then we'd all go to Earth and live there like we used to. But they said that all this time Deep Blue had been lying and that he wasn't our savior at all and that the Mew Mews really weren't evil, but that they had helped them to defeat Deep Blue. A lot of people got angry and thought that they were lying and called them traitors. They put them in jail and a big, long trial was held. I think at one point someone got so angry that they tried to make one of the animals on our planet into a Kirema Anima and tried to get it to destroy the jail and kill the three of them. It got really bad. There was a lot of fighting and even more people died.

"After a long time the trial finally ended and it was decided that the three of them were telling the truth. They used the Mew Aqua on the planet and it became really pretty again. There were flowers everywhere and lots of animals. For the first time in a long while there was enough food for everyone and it was sunny all the time. It was nice, but a little weird at first because everything had been so bad for such a long time.

"When everyone saw that the planet was better they started calling Pai, Kish, and Tart-oniichan heroes. They were given a three days festival in their names to celebrate, which was really good because we hadn't had any festivals since the planet froze. They were also given all sorts of special honors. Since the mission was originally Kish-oniichan's he was given the highest honor; the position of military commander. His first order was to appoint Pai-oniichan as his advisor and to make Tart-oniichan his second-in-command. Everyone thought it was a great idea, even if Tart-oniichan was a little young.

On our planet military commander is the second most powerful role there is. There's only one higher role, and that's the Lord of the planet. The commander of the military controls the whole military and gives them missions. The commander is a very powerful role and a great honor. When Kish-oniichan accepted it it seemed like nothing could go wrong. Especially not with Pai-oniichan as his advisor.

"For a while everything did go really well. But then Kish-oniichan started getting depressed and Pai-oniichan started taking more control. Everything still went well, but a lot of people started to think that Kish-oniichan's depression meant that the peace and wealth we had was coming to an end.

"After that our previous Lord was defeated and a new one took over. He wasn't very good, and not a lot of people really liked him, but he was the new Lord and so everyone had to listen. Kish-oniichan stopped doing his job altogether and Pai-oniichan took over. People started to get sick and die suddenly, and so did the planet. Everything became bad again, and then even worse. Even more people started dying and the new Lord blamed it on Pai, Kish, and Tart-oniichan. He said that if they hadn't helped the Mew Mews stop Deep Blue then our race could have been living peacefully on Earth. Everyone knew that it wasn't true but they were scared and had to listen, and soon they all started to believe it. The Lord stripped Pai, Kish, and Tart-oniichan of their titles and made them regular fighters again. He didn't banish or exile them, but he might as well have. Having your title stripped from you is a loss of honor and pride.

"Not too long after that Kish-oniichan thought of you guys. He thought that you Mew Mews might be able to help us. And so he asked me, Pai, Tart, and Brie-oniichan if we'd be willing to go and ask you guys if you would help us. And so here we are," Rice finished. She shrugged, as if to say that the whole story really wasn't all that interesting, but Ichigo couldn't believe her ears. All that had happened in just three years? She hadn't suspected that anything like that could have been happening while she was just peacefully unaware.

"Wow. I feel like I've missed out on a lot," Ichigo said. "It's almost funny you know. When it was time for me to become a Mew Mew again I didn't want to. I was so reluctant. I just wanted to be normal and stay normal. I thought it would be horrible to be a Mew again. I felt so bad for myself because I knew that I wouldn't be able to be normal anymore. That hardly compares to everything you've all been through."

"I guess," Rice shrugged.

"What do you mean? How can you just say that and shrug?" Ichigo questioned.

"Well when you were normal again having everything change must have been pretty bad because you were used to everything being good. I was born during a huge snowstorm. I'm used to things being bad. I told you that it was weird having everything be good. I would wake up each day and think that I was dreaming, and that one day I really would wake up and it would all be gone. I'd be sad then, sure, but it wouldn't be too bad because I had known it would happen soon anyways. And so when it did happen I wasn't really that upset. Everything's the same, just that now it's a little bit worse than before," Rice said.

"That's so sad," Ichigo commented.

"I guess," Rice said again. She didn't say anything else and teleported away. Ichigo stood there. Black space loomed in front of her but all Ichigo could see were Rice's hazel-blue eyes.

It struck her just how adult Rice really was. She looked and acted like a normal little girl, even the way she spoke made her seem like one, but she was really much more mature than that. I made sense, given the environment she had grown up in.

And her eyes. They'd been so empty when she'd said that. No anger, no sadness, just empty. It was unnatural for a person's eyes to be so empty when they were talking about something terrible like that. Rice was hiding her feelings and doing a very good job of it too.

Ichigo sighed and looked away from the window. Suddenly space didn't seem so interesting anymore. It seemed like just blackness and a bunch of rocks like Rice had said. Rice… She didn't know the youngest alien well but it appeared like she was just a hyper little kid like Purin and Tart had been. But that was just a façade she put up. It must be the same thing with Tart. Ichigo evidently didn't know the aliens as well as she thought she did. They were all hiding the horrible things that had happened in their past. It made Ichigo feel all the more guilty about how she'd acted when she found out that she would have to be a Mew again.

Sighing again, Ichigo left the window and looked up at the ship. She pushed away her guilt and started walking. The past was the past. Feeling guilty wouldn't help her in any sort of way so there was no use in punishing herself over how she'd acted. She was a Mew Mew and now she had promised the aliens that she would help them. And she intended to keep that promise.

00000

Time passed slowly on the alien spaceship. Pai had told them all that it would only take three days to reach the planet but for the Mews it seemed to take three weeks. The novelty of being on the ship wore off when every door led to a room which had been previously explored. All of the Mews were growing restless and agitated, even Purin, who was growing tired of playing with Tart and Rice in all of the same rooms. Brie had retreated to his room, and when he was out he only appeared to look down on them all. Pai stayed in the control room piloting the ship the whole time. Sometimes Retasu joined him but for the most time she was in the immense library reading nonstop. Zakuro resided in the room she had claimed as her own and Minto was downright snotty to anyone who tried to talk to her. Ichigo often found herself sitting in her own room as well, thinking about the strange things that had happened to her since she'd became a Mew Mew again and even before that.

Everything had begun with the first dream about the aliens she'd had. In that dream she had been looking for Pai, Kish, and Tart. She'd found them but Kish hadn't been with them and she had run off trying to find him. After that she'd heard that weird voice and then she'd become a Mew Mew again. She'd had another dream about Kish and when she'd woken she had again heard the voice. She went off to battle another Kirema in the morning and had met Brie for the first time, and when she'd been knocked unconscious Kish had wormed his way into her head again. Nothing had happened for a while and then the Mews had gone off to Tokyo Tower. But before that had happened Ichigo had felt a pain in her head, and then a second time when they were at the tower. And then she'd heard yet another voice in her head and now she was here on the ship and nothing strange had happened since.

Ichigo thought briefly that she was going crazy. It would explain a lot, but somehow she didn't think that that explanation was correct. Everything that had happened to her was all somehow connected to the aliens and the situation she was in right now. It had to be.

The first two times she had heard the voice it had told her the same thing. She needed to save them-and him-or they were doomed to die. The aliens must be the people the voice had talked about that she was supposed to save. It made sense and Ichigo didn't know anyone else who the voice could be talking about.

The third time she'd heard the voice Ichigo didn't think that it was the same one as the first two. The first voice didn't really sound like anything; it was flat and monotone but calm, and held no emotion. The second voice was harsh and angry. It was filled with venom and loathing. It definitely hated her, and Ichigo believed that it was the reason her head kept on hurting. But who could have the power to do that and who could hate her so much? At first she had thought that somehow the owner of the cold voice was Deep Blue, but now she wasn't so sure. The parson hated her and Deep Blue had also, but the voice had said that they were connected and that she was his. Why would Deep Blue say any of that? And more importantly, Deep Blue was dead. There was no possible way that he could come back. So the second voice couldn't be his.

The other thing that was bugging her was her dreams. They all seemed to be focusing on Kish, including the first one, even though he hadn't actually been in that one. Even outside of her dreams, anything concerning Kish was a mystery. Pai had instructed no one to talk about him, but tart had told her that Kish would be happy to see her. That would imply that when they reached the alien planet he would be there. But he wasn't here on the ship, so that could mean he was away on a mission.

Then there was also what Rice had told her. According to Rice, Kish had been called a hero and been made the military commander. But then he had gotten depressed and had eventually been stripped of his power by the new Lord. Why had Kish become depressed? He'd had a powerful position and his planet had been flourishing so why would he stop doing his job? Maybe Rice was leaving something out, or her story just wasn't right.

Then came the dreams themselves. The first one seemed like a vision of the future or something similar but the other two were more like warnings to stay away. In the second dream Kish had specifically told her that they didn't need her help and that she should go back to her earth. And then in the third dream he told her not to listen to Pai and Tart, who wanted her to help them. So for whatever reason Kish wanted her and the rest of the Mew Mews to stay away, even if the alien people were suffering.

Another interesting thing about the dreams was how Kish had acted. In the second one Kish had looked the same as he had three years ago and he had acted strange and almost violently up until the end. Then he had pleaded with her. It was like he'd been trying to scare her but hadn't actually wanted to hurt her.

The Kish of her third dream looked and acted more realistic than the other one. He was older and reminded her of exactly how the Kish she used to know acted. It was a crazy thought, but she felt like she'd been talking to the real Kish in that dream. There was no other way that he would look older like he did. Sure she could try to picture what he looked like, but she didn't think she could make an image that well. This led Ichigo to believe that Kish had been the real thing. If that was true, then how was Kish able to get into her head and dreams like that? And what had happened to Kish at the end of the dream to make him act the way he had? Could he be in trouble? And then there was still the question of why he didn't want Ichigo to come to begin with.

For the majority of the three days the Mew Mews were stuck in the space ship Ichigo was in her room trying to think of answers and explanations for the questions she had, but she wasn't able to. Her mind was stuck in a rut and she could only come up with the same answers she had already thought of. She didn't tell any of the other Mews about what she was thinking because she didn't want them to worry about her, but she bet that if she had she might have been able to at least think of some other explanations. But instead she didn't ask them and decided that she would wait until she reached the planet and then find her answer.

00000

The whole ship rattled and shook viciously as it landed. Within just a minute all of the Mews were out of their rooms and in the main part of the ship, anxiously waiting to finally get off it and step onto the surface of the alien planet.

"Well we're here," Pai remarked as he entered the room. "This is our planet, Baron. I've landed as close to our city as I could get, but we'll still have to walk a bit to get to the entrance." Pai walked to the side of the room and pressed a segment of the wall with his fingers spread. A sea-green light appeared under each of his fingers and then the segment popped open to reveal a small compartment with a smaller white box inside. Pai took it from the compartment and then the segment in the wall was in place again, as if it had never been there.

He opened up the white box to reveal ten syringes filled with a bright, almost neon blue liquid. Each syringe had been securely held in place with a padded clasp and the edges of the box were padded as well to ensure that the syringes couldn't break. Pai walked in front of them with the box and carefully held out a syringe.

"I've told you all about the landscape of our planet. It's covered in volcanoes and lava. It's extremely hot, and almost nothing can survive on the surface. There are few animals that are able to survive the intense heat and neither of our species are one of them. In order for us to get to the city we'll each have to use this," Pai said, bringing forth the syringe. "This is a serum injected into your bloodstream to lower your body temperature. At first you'll be cold but when you step out of the ship that'll change. This version of the serum isn't as concentrated and so it will not last as long, so we'll have to be fast." Pai took several more syringes out of the box and Ichigo gulped loudly at the sight of them. She had a fear of needles and of things in general being stuck inside her.

"I-Is there another way that I could take that?" Ichigo asked hopefully.

"Are you scared, ya old hag?" Tart inquired gleefully.

"Shut up midget! I bet you are too!" Ichigo retorted hotly

"Nuh-uh!" Tart spat, sounding very much like the childish alien she remembered him as. To add to this effect he stuck his tongue out at her and Ichigo couldn't help but laugh.

"There is no other way for you to take the serum. It'll have to be injected," Pai said, interrupting the two of them from their childish fight. Ichigo flushed when she realized just how immature she'd been acting. Tart mumbled something along the lines of "stupid old hag" under his breath and he too was silent.

"If there are no more questions then I will go around and give you all the serum. Then we can be on our way." With that Pai went first to Brie and took his arm. He cleaned his underarm with a cotton ball he got from the box and then slapped the skin a few times to get a vein to show. Then, with carefully skilled hands, he stuck the needle in a vein and injected the light blue liquid into Brie's arm. Ichigo flinched at the sight and began to mentally brace herself for when it was her turn.

Pai went next to Tart, who smirked at Ichigo and stuck his tongue out again at her as the needle slid into his arm. Rice went up next and then Pai stuck the Mew Mews. When he came to Ichigo she closed her eyes and bit her lip as Pai injected the serum into her. Almost immediately she felt cold where the needle had gone in, and that coldness spread through her body, leaching the warmth from her. With some surprise she saw that both Tart and Rice were shivering, and although Brie was holding himself rigidly still, his lips had begun to turn bluish.

Pai stuck himself with the needle then and tossed the vial into the trash. "We can go now. Remember, this serum won't last too long so follow me and don't wander off," Pai instructed. He walked into a different room and they all followed, shivering and rubbing their cold arms as they went. Pai opened the door to the spacecraft and with some slight hesitation coming from the Mews they all headed outside.

The startling contrast to how the planet had appeared three years ago compared to now shocked Ichigo, as well as how similar the planet was to the first dream she'd had. The surface was barren and cracked in many places. Hot steam burst from these cracks in short, powerful bursts that could burn you if you weren't careful. Clouds of smoke hung in the sky and made breathing difficult. Small, hot fires were scattered randomly about the land and every few seconds lava would spurt from the land like a geyser. Within seconds they all forgot how cold they had been and were concerned with how hot they were. Pai didn't let them look around the landscape for too long before he'd started off at a fast pace.

It didn't take too long for Ichigo to grow tired of the hot, barren landscape and for the excitement she felt at being on an alien planet to quickly wear off and irritation to take hold. It was too hot and she was sweating like a pig. Minto was complaining about the walk and how hot she was, and the heat and complaining were giving Ichigo a headache. Retasu asked her a question and she nearly bit the poor shy girl's head off. After that the only talking came from Minto and Purin mumbling something once in a while. Zakuro was silent and bore the extreme heat like the aliens did and Retasu walked quietly, trying to stay out of everyone's way lest she be yelled at again.

"We're here," Pai told them finally. All the Mew Mews looked around to see the city but there was only more barren land in all directions. Brie walked away from the group and stood by a large reddish-brown rock that extended from the ground in a roughly cylindrical shape. He knocked on the rock twice, then waited a moment and swiftly knocked three more times. The ground started to shake and rumble like there was an earthquake going on and then started to crack apart. Ichigo was again reminded of her first dream and how near the end of it the ground had broken apart and lava had spewed froth. The memory of it made her want to bolt, but the aliens were all calmly standing there so she stopped herself. If they didn't think that there was trouble then there probably wasn't, even if her instincts told her to run.

The ground began to rise where it had cracked, slowly, and then faster once it got going. Bit by bit sunlight entered the space underneath and Ichigo saw that the piece of land was actually a hatch that covered a dark stairway leading downwards. Machines were underneath the piece of land that had made it rise and they operated silently. Another machine clicked on and lights above the stairway turned on. The machines stopped moving as the segment of earth stopped rising completely. Pai stepped towards the stairs and advanced downward. The Mews looked at each other before heading down also. Brie hit something before following tem, and the latch started to close again. The lights stayed on.

"We'll be there once we reach the end of these stairs," Pai said.

"It's underground?" Minto questioned.

"Yes. We had a city aboveground but by now the fires have destroyed it. When the Mew Aqua ran out and the land began to get hotter we were forced to return to this city, the same one we had resided in when the land had been frozen. We found that under the surface of the earth it was actually cooler. And of course we developed technology to help cool it even more. Still, it is hot, but not hot enough to need the serum. I'm afraid that until you Mews are able to adjust to the heat you may be uncomfortable," Pai answered.

"Why don't we just use the serum to make us cool?" Purin asked.

"The serum takes time and many resources to make. We can't just waste it needlessly," Brie responded harshly. Ichigo frowned. She understood the need to conserve resources but she didn't think that Brie had needed to say it like that. Purin was only eleven and most likely didn't understand the need for resources. Brie seemed not to notice the look and continued to descend down the stairs.

The stairs seemed to be endless. They continued to descend through the earth as far as Ichigo's eyes could see. She didn't have a watch but she thought that they'd been walking for twenty minutes. Not too long after the group had first started going down that they noticed that more and more rocks were showing up in the dirt walls. Soon the dirt was completely replaced with stone. Despite the intense heat above them, the stone was cool. When Ichigo ran her fingers over it she discovered that there were carvings and symbols etched into the stone. The lights above them barely provided her with enough light to see them clearly. All she could make out were a few lines. Her fingers felt large and intricate designs on the face of the stone. She wondered what they were and thought about asking but didn't. Pai and Brie seemed determined to reach the city and the other Mews didn't notice the stone at all.

Even further down a sort of faintly luminescent moss had started to grow on the stone walls. Ichigo was surprised by it. She didn't know too much about moss, or any other type of plant-life for that fact, but she did know that most plant-life couldn't grow in these types of hot conditions.

Thanks to the light given off by the moss Ichigo could see the stone better now. All along the face of it were vertical and horizontal lines that formed a sort of grid. The moss was growing in most of these spots. There were no fancy designs now, but just the grid-lines that the moss was growing in. It was disappointing, but then when Ichigo thought about it, it made sense. The further down the hall they traveled the cooler it got. Before, when there had been all of the designs there hadn't been any moss because of the heat. But now that it was cooler the moss could grow. Moss had very short roots, so it didn't need to send them into the ground too much, but it still needed some purchase, and that was what the lines were for. For whatever reason, the aliens were growing and harvesting the luminescent moon.

Pai stopped abruptly and Ichigo almost bumped into Minto. The rich girl turned to glare at her and then spun around with her nose sticking up in the air.

"We're here," Pai said. Brie opened up a bag he had somehow acquired and distributed out brown hooded cloaks to the group. They all put them over their heads and waited. "When I open this door," Pai explained, "you will see our city. I want all of you to say close to me and not talk or look at anyone. Don't speak, even if someone addresses you. For right now its better if no one sees that you are the Mew Mews so don't draw attention to yourselves." And then Pai opened the door.

The alien city was breath-taking. It had been carved from the very ground it existed in. Houses were made out of the same stone Ichigo had seen in the stairway. Now that she could see better, she saw that they were all a reddish-brown hue, and all of them had the same carvings and designs on them. They were squarish little huts, many of them were only one story tall, but the closer you moved toward the center of the city the taller the buildings got. Ladders had been carved into the sides of houses so that people could climb onto the tops of them, but for what Ichigo didn't know.

Directly in the center of the center of the city was a building taller than some of the ones Ichigo had seen in Tokyo. Unlike the other buildings, this one wasn't just a square hut. It stretched as far up as the top of the ceiling, narrowing as it went so that the very tip of the huge building was still attached to the ceiling. Four smaller, twisted spikes surrounded the tall one in the center, and came up to about half its length before stopping. There were jagged windows cut into the stone building. The lights were on, but that didn't make the building look any less menacing. She shivered as they passed it and wondered what it was for.

There were many aliens walking around the city, all of them wearing similar brown cloaks. Most of the adults that wondered the streets looked tired and weary, and a few of them had bad coughs. There were few children playing outside of their houses but for the most part there were hardly any to be seen. A few toys rested on the ground, still because of the absence of air. That and the absence of more people and playing children gave the city an abandoned feel to it.

The entire city itself rested in a huge cavern that had been carved from the earth. The amount of people and strength it must have taken to do this surprised Ichigo. Had it all been accomplished by hand or did the aliens have machines that helped them? She could ask Pai, but only after they had reached wherever it was that they were going to.

Their little group didn't cause too many glances from the aliens as they went, but Ichigo did see a few people looking at them a little curiously. Feeling exposed, she pulled her hood closer to her face and covered her mouth, then increased her pace a little. She did notice however, that most of the alien females ere just as beautiful as she'd thought they might be. Even with the heavy brown robes they all wore she could see that they were slender and moved with more grace than a human ever could. They had fair skin and high cheekbones that gave them an exotic frail look. Their large liquid eyes added to that image. Each had different types of precious jewels hanging from their pointed ears.

Pai led them to a house that was on the outskirts of the city. While most of the houses on the outskirts were short, this one was large and tall enough to have a second floor. Pai opened the door without knocking and ushered them in.

There was a woman in the house that immediately struck Ichigo as familiar, though she wasn't sure how. She was an alien, and had all the features of the ones Ichigo had just seen outside, but she seemed more dignified than they had. She too was beautiful and slender and frail, but she was much paler that any of the aliens Ichigo had encountered outside. Also unlike the ones outside, her ears were not heavy with precious gems and metals, but she wore only one pair of large gold, earrings with a single purple gem centered in the middle of each. When she saw all of them her lavender eyes widened with what Ichigo mistook to be fear. A second later she identified the emotion as shock just as she rushed over to Pai and threw her arms around him.

"Pai! You're back! Oh, I was so worried that you would get caught," She cried. Pai wrapped his arms around her gingerly.

"I'm fine. We all are. We made it and now everything will be alright," Pai reassured. The woman smiled at him and then turned her eyes to the rest of them.

"I'm so happy that you're safe too Brie," She said and then hugged him too. A very faint blush crept into his cheeks but otherwise his face remained unchanged. He gave her a hug back and the woman released him and knelt down to gather Tart and Rice up in her arms and kissed them both on their cheeks.

"And of course I'm happy to have you two back!" She laughed. Tart and Rice both half-heartedly tried to escape and Rice gave her brother a look that clearly said "help", but in the end they both gave up and hugged the woman back. She stood up, traces of a smile still on her face, and looked at the Mews.

"You must be the Mew Mews," She said. Ichigo nodded.

"Yes, these are them. Ichigo, Minto, Retasu, Purin, and Zakuro. Mews, this is my mother Crêpe," Pai said. As soon as he said it Ichigo could see the resemblance between the two. How could she have not seen it before?

"It's very nice to meet you Crêpe-san!" Retasu exclaimed. She threw her head down in a bow and when she rose again her face was flustered.

""Oh please just call me Crêpe! No need to be so formal," She smiled.

"H-Hai!" Retasu said.

"Mother," Pai said sharply. Crêpe turned to him and Pai motioned to a stairway in the back of the house. All at once Crêpe's smile evaporated and she appeared troubled. "His condition is almost the same as before you left. He hasn't gotten any better, but he hasn't gotten any worse wither. I suppose we can be thankful for that much but…," Crêpe trailed off. "He's sleeping right now, but if you go up there be cautious; he's in one of his fit stages." Pai nodded and then he, Brie, Tart, and Rice all headed upstairs. Ichigo started to go with them but a hand on her arm stopped her. Crêpe was holding her back, shaking her head.

"It's better for you five to stay down here," She said.

"Why? Who's up there?" Minto asked. Crêpe didn't respond.

"Do you girls know how to cook?" Crêpe asked instead. Purin nodded eagerly, telling her all about Café Mew Mew and the different pastries and cakes that they made there. Everyone else didn't seem to notice or care about the switch in the subject and they added the things they could cook to the list Purin had started. Ichigo briefly wondered about just who Pai and Crêpe had been talking about before deciding that it didn't matter too much. Sooner or later she was bound to find out. Before long she had joined in the conversation with the others.

Crêpe explained to them that she wanted to cook a big meal to celebrate their safe arrival and that if the Mew Mews didn't mind they could help her. They all agreed and set about getting ingredients and food for Crêpe and helping her prepare the table and do tasks. Everything seemed so normal that for a moment Ichigo forgot that she wasn't on Earth anymore and that she was here to save an entire species. Crêpe reminded her of her own mother or maybe a kind grandmother. She was the type of person you could talk to about anything and get helpful advice from. Pai was lucky to have such a kind mother. Or to even have a mother.

Crêpe told them all about how Pai and Brie had always been good friends since they'd been around the same age. Later on they had become close friends with Kish when they went to school. Together the three of them had tormented their teachers and pulled many a prank on their classmates. Usually all of these tricks and pranks had been planned by Kish, who Crêpe told them had been just as mischievous back then when he was younger. Ichigo understood that completely and found herself laughing along at the tales Crêpe told about when the three of them were younger. It seemed like Kish was always getting Pai and Brie into some sort of trouble.

Kish's mother had been friends with Tart's and so when tart had entered school Kish had taken him under his wing. Tart idolized Kish, Crêpe told them, and so whatever Kish had thought would be fun Tart went along with, and now the two of them got Pai and Brie to follow them in their schemes. Those were the fun times, Crêpe explained.

The fun times ended with the death of Kish's mother. His father, along with Tart's, Brie and Rice's, and most alien children had died in a battle. Kish had been too young to remember him and for most of his life his mother was the only person who had taken care of him. Kish had been heartbroken and began to act out more than usual in what most of the time were dangerous ways. Pai's own father died not too long afterwards. Brie hadn't been able to understand why Kish was acting the way he was and ended up gravitating more toward Pai. Tart tried to stick with Kish but the older alien didn't want much to do with him then.

Only two years afterward had Pai, Kish, and Tart all been assigned to the mission on Earth to bring back Deep Blue. Brie had wanted to go, but he had to help his mother take care of Rice. Crêpe assumed that they must have rekindled their friendship during that mission when they'd all come back there hadn't been any problems. And Kish had cemented their friendship by giving both Pai and Tart big positions of power when he'd been the military commander.

Brie and Rice's mother had just died a few weeks before the three of them had come back, and when they'd learned of this Pai, Kish, and Tart had all been there for them. A year later when Tart's mother died, leaving him with a newborn baby sister, Crêpe had decided to invite all of them to come live with Pai and her in their house. Now all of them lived together.

"You're very kind Crêpe," Retasu said as she carefully put ingredients into a bowl.

"Nonsense. It was the right thing to do. And I do have such a big house. I needed more people in it," Crêpe smiled.

"Um Crêpe? Do you thing you could tell me something? Do you know where Kish is?" Ichigo asked. Crêpe's smile faltered and she looked down at the slab of meat she'd been tenderizing.

"Ichigo, I like you a lot but there are some things that I cannot tell you. You must understand that it's for your own good," She answered firmly. When she looked up again her smile was gone.

"Why won't anyone tell me?" Ichigo wanted to ask, but her question went unheard because of a sudden loud bang. Everyone's head turned to the ceiling and they flinched as another bang shook the house.

"Mother!" It was Pai's voice from upstairs. "We need you!" Without another word Crêpe hurried upstairs. Without thinking about what she was doing, Ichigo followed her. Tart and Rice teleported in front of her, their faces white and shaken.

"You shouldn't go up there," They told her but Ichigo paid them no heed. She was tired of being left in the dark and wanted to know what was going on, even if it wasn't the thing she really wanted to know about. She climbed the stairs two at a time and halted once she got to the hallway. There was only one open door that she saw and she headed for that one.

The first thing that Ichigo noticed upon entering the room was that by answering this question she had also answered the biggest question she had. For lying on the bed was Kish.

At first she was so happy to see him that she didn't notice what else was wrong with the picture. When the realization hit her she felt like she would be sick. Kish was pale, paler that he should have normally been under any condition. His skin was covered in a sheen of what had to be fever sweat and his clothes were drenched in it. His emerald bangs were plastered to his forehead and he was so skinny-too skinny. He looked like a skeleton.

Pai and Brie were on either side of him holding him down to the bed as he thrashed around wildly and screamed. Kish's gold eyes were wide and terrified. They reminded Ichigo of an animal's eyes when it was being chased by some large predator. Crêpe was standing over him, trying to force him to look at her and to understand that they were his friends and they wouldn't hurt him. He screamed and thrashed even more, contorting his body and trying to throw Pai and Brie off his arms. It looked like he was being tortured.

"Kish," Ichigo said quietly. Pai, Brie, and Crêpe all looked at her and Kish used the distraction to try and throw them off again. Ichigo couldn't watch anymore. She ran out of the room crying.

She bumped into something in the hallway and saw that it was Pai. He must have teleported out of the room, she thought absentmindedly. She collapsed against his chest and started to sob uncontrollably. She couldn't seem to stop her tears from falling but she didn't care. Let Pai and everyone else see her tears, because seeing Kish like that had been terrible. Terrible because he was sick.

00000

"Kish."

That word echoed in his head again and again, letting him have no rest. It was his name of course, so it wasn't that he was trying to remember where he'd heard it, just who had said it. The voice that had spoken his name was very familiar, he just couldn't quite remember. He supposed he'd been having a fit again, and Crêpe had given him medicine to soothe it. That always left his head feeling fuzzy and cloudy, and he could never quite make any connection to his memory right away.

It hadn't been Pai or Brie or Tart; it was a female voice. Not Rice. Maybe Crêpe…? No, not her either. What other female would be talking to him? No one ever visited them or Crêpe since the new Lord had come to power, and he didn't think anyone even knew about him being sick other than his friends. So who?

He struggled to rid himself of the fog in his head so that he could think, and slowly it worked. His brain thought of Ichigo. That did make sense, he admitted, but why would Ichigo be here when he had specifically told her not to… Ichigo!

"Ichigo!" Kish cried, jolting up in his bed. He winced as the sudden movement aggravated his sore body, but quickly he forgot about the pain as Ichigo floated in his head again. Brie was in the room with him and when he saw he was awake he rushed to his bed.

"You need to lie back down. You are not well enough to move around yet Kish," He said softly but firmly. Kish glared at him defiantly.

"You brought them here didn't you? I told you not to but you did anyway," He said. Brie said nothing, which made Kish suspect that he was right. The Mew Mews were here.

"Bring them here," He ordered.

"Kish, you aren't well enough," Brie protested.

"I'm not dead yet," Kish said, "Now bring them here. Because I bet you didn't tell them everything." Sensing that he was fighting a losing battle, Brie said no more and left the room. When he was gone Kish allowed himself to lie back down on the bed. Brie was right, he did still need to rest but this was more important.

Ichigo… His chest pained him when he though of the cat-girl. He wondered how much she had changed and if she still had that stupid boyfriend of hers. She had obviously seen him during one of one of his fits, but had it just been her or all of the Mews as well? Why hadn't Pai prevented them from entering this room? He hadn't wanted anyone else to see him like that.

What would it be like to see Ichigo again? Things were different now then they had been before. They'd been enemies before and for right now at least they were allies. He had always felt the same way about Ichigo but had her view of him changed at all? He would find out in a minute anyway, but that didn't stop his growing feeling of apprehension.

The door to the room opened and Pai, Brie, Tart, and Rice entered. Behind them were the girls. They all looked older and more mature but it was Ichigo who caught Kish's eye. She hadn't grown much taller, but her body had grown curvier and more womanly. She looked much less childish than the Ichigo he remembered and her eyes were no longer filled with naïve innocence but had gained wisdom and knowledge. The innocence was still there but it has heavily guarded now. Her hair had grown down to her shoulders but she still wore it in ponytails tied up with ribbons. Her eyes met his gaze and Kish found himself looking away.

"Kish, is this really necessary? You need to rest and the girls were helping Mother cook. They've already decided to help us of their own free will," Pai said.

"I'm sure that you didn't tell them everything," Kish said strongly.

"What do you mean Kish-san?" The fish-girl, Retasu asked.

"Pai didn't tell you everything. He left out anything that would influence you to stay on Earth and not help us. I know why he did it but he shouldn't have. He shouldn't have brought any of you here," Kish said darkly.

"The current leader of our planet, our Lord, hates you Mew Mews. He hates Pai, Tart, and me too. When we returned to our planet with the Mew Aqua everyone was happy and we made our planet beautiful. We were hailed as heroes and given positions of power. When our old Lord died and the new one took over he called us traitors for working with you to defeat Deep Blue. "He stripped us of our titles and now everyone hates us. They all believe that we would have been better off with Deep Blue, and because of that they hate you as well. The Mew Mews are considered our enemies and if you get caught then you'll be killed," Kish explained. He looked at all of them, judging their reactions. This wasn't just something they could do and then go back home. This could be deadly.

"You all need to go back. Pai can take you. Doing this is too dangerous and you could end up being killed," He said slowly, clearly pronouncing each word, allowing them all to sink in.

"No." All the occupants of the room looked at Minto, who was glaring at Kish haughtily.

"We've had to turn back into Mew Mews again, fight Kirema Animas and aliens, were kidnapped, spent three painstakingly slow days aboard a spaceship, and snuck into this house like we were outlaws and now you're telling us to go back, that it was all for nothing?! No! I won't allow that! Even if we did go back, who's to say we would lose our powers again and return back to normal? There's no guarantee on that! I say that since we're already here we do what we came here to do! Okay, so there'll be danger. When haven't we been in danger? You say that we could die, well we could have three years ago too but we didn't. That's why we're Mew Mews and not normal humans. I'm staying here and nothing that you can say will change my mind. So I suggest that you save your breath because it looks like you'll need it," the snobby bird-girl snapped. Kish was stunned. Out of all the Mews, Ichigo had usually been the most outspoken one. But here was selfish Minto doing a complete 360. Ichigo obviously hadn't been the only one to change.

To Kish's dismay the other four Mews agreed wholeheartedly with what Minto had said. Also to his dismay, after that first initial outburst he had no more control over the conversation. Nothing that he said held any influence over the girls. It looked like the Mew Mews were staying.

* * *

Okay, so like I said, both chapters were long, especially this one (longest yet) and both had a lot of stuff happening in them. You finally get to see what's been going on with Kish! Yay! Next chapter'll have him actually interacting with Ichigo.

Oh, one quick thing: I still hate my title and haven't come up with a better one. Anyone have any ideas?

Okay, so I've got quite a bit to say now. You really don't have to read this I suppose, but whatever. It took me a long time to type these chapters because the computer that we're using right now is actually my dad's. Long story short, we got our computer back for like two days and my brother screwed it up. He managed to delete EVERYTHING from it and now it won't go on the internet. So everything that I had already typed up was gone and I had to start over from scratch. It wasn't really too bad, but I just like to complain. Heehee. But anyways, we were trying to get it fixed -again- and that's why it took much longer than I thought it would. So sorry 'bout that!

Another thing, unfortunely over my period of no computer I kind of lost intrest with TMM. So yeah, that's bad. I will still be typing this but I might not be putting up any other TMM fanfics. We'll see I guess. My new guilty pleasures (two of them!) happen to be Yu-Gi-Oh (yeah I know, Yu-Gi-Oh? Come on!) and Death Note. I started reading the manga for DN and found out that I REALLY REALLY like it. And there just happens to be a pairing that I love. The same goes for Yu-Gi-Oh. I just happened to realize my love for it one day. Also, the Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged Series had a big influence over this decision. My friend showed it to me and it's awesome! So yeah, I'll be writing more fanfiction for those two series.

Okay, time for more bad news! (Yay, don't you just love it?) Again, over my period of no computer I had a phase of writer's block. So I really haven't written much for this story. I got over it thankfully, but right now I've got no idea what to do with the next chapter. Well no, I have an idea of what to do with half of the chapter, it's just the othr half that's being problimatic. I'll figure out something, it just might take a little bit. So hopefully these two chapters will hold you all over and you'll stay with me through this story!

Thank you all for being so thoughtful and thanks for not forgetting about this story! Remember to review! Oh, and sorry for any spelling errors there might be in this. I was lazy and didn't proofread too much. Thanks again! I heart you all! Heehee ;D


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